Do You Accept It?
by Danko Kaji
Summary: – An In-depth Novelization of Kingdom Hearts – /book 1 of 3/ – Riku's POV – "Light cannot blind you. Darkness will never misguide you. Remember, Riku: You are what stands between the light and dark in twilight." RikuxOC, SoraxKairi, and a new Somebody
1. Simple and Clean

_**I Dedicate This Story To My Number One Fan, Lunar'sWolf.**_

Simple and Clean

_"I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves."_

_-Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951)_

* * *

_"I've been feeling... some strange things lately... like... is any of it... true? Or all lies?"_

I sat here on a slanted palm tree, at the miniature plateau, basking in my peaceful surroundings.

My aquamarine eyes fixated its gaze upon the vast ocean, the broad sky, and the golden sun, which all created the tropical atmosphere. The island winds caressed my shoulder-length silver hair, causing them to brush across my lax shoulders.

The days continued to pass, as did the nights without change. I felt agonized of the constancy.

Yet lately, I found my dreams beginning to merge together with reality. To the point I was convinced I lived in a world of both.

I took a deep breath, then pushed my weight against the tree trunk and leapt off. The moment my shoe-clad feet connected to the flat ground, the whole scenery had changed.

Soft sand lay cushioned beneath my feet as the ocean tidal waves flowed to and fro, allowing the lukewarm water to seep through my baggy blue pants. My eyes never faltered from the incredible sight of the endless body of water, awed by how the blinding rays of sunlight poured over the crystal clear, watery surface and made it glow lethargic warmth.

However... I felt something, or rather someone... who called out to me far greater than this. On intuition, I casually swerved around to find my brunette, spiky-haired friend standing at the edge of the seashore.

Sora… My best friend.

Fondness swept over me in an instant, thus I failed to discern the flash of alarm from his sky-colored eyes.

The tides began to pick up from the shoreline, the oceanic water soon coming to retreat ominously toward my direction. I could sense it, the towering wave, which loomed behind me threatening to crash down - eager to drop the almighty weight of its emotional build-up and physical endeavors back into the ocean. Calmness and composure seized my nerves, because somehow it didn't scare me. There was no reason for a dream to scare me.

I held my hand out impassively to Sora, urging him to take it.

Sora made no time to hesitate. He immediately dashed into the slushy water and sprinted toward me in desperation. To reach me in time to save me from the monstrous tsunami wave before it could crush me under its powerful weight. It was practically slow motion in my eyes, as though I were watching a movie. A movie I watched with calm anticipation, in which this scene left me in dire suspense, making me wait and wonder what would happen next.

The scene reverted, the colors relapsed - as if somebody pressed on rewind.

Sora charged at me again, except this time - he gripped a key-like blade in his hands that I could not identify.

I couldn't identify myself either. I felt stronger, I looked different, and I was dangerous. Morbid darkness coursed throughout my body, my heart, my very soul. A smirk danced along my face, betraying an ever-present malice, which didn't suit me in the least.

Such power... I almost couldn't breathe.

Now the whole scene replayed itself once again.

Sora finally reached me and frantically grasped my held out hand. Simultaneously, the humungous wave collided back into the ocean, engulfing the both of us within its overwhelming currents. Next, I witnessed the both of us drifting apart, the overpowering currents wishing to carry Sora out of my reach - to separate he and I permanently. He was dazed, rebuffed by the collision until noticing the distance between us rapidly increasing.

This obstacle did not daunt me. There's no way this dream could defeat us. I extended my gloved hand out to him again; unfazed by the conflict we were unwillingly thrust upon.

If I had to go somewhere, anywhere but here, I would like Sora to be there with me and by my side.

Catching the assurance in my eyes, Sora lunged forward and swung his skinny arms to fight against the force of the currents. His face was contorted in serious concentration, his limbs straining to swim against the relentless currents, our fingers a mere few centimeters apart to make the slightest contact. Without warning, water currents violently swished and swayed to suffocate my form, simultaneously pulling Sora away from my reach.

Before I believed my breath would escape me and I'd drown... before I could register Sora disappearing before my very eyes... the ocean water swept around me in a powerful motion until it exploded outwards.

Water darted forth from all directions, away from where I now stood in the midst of a secret place. A secret cave where the indigo liquid droplets had magically altered to solidify into dark blue boulders, all wedged together to form the walls that surrounded me.

Ah, there it was - the wooden, oval door that couldn't be opened through something as simple as a doorknob no matter how I desired to see the other side. Through its dark mystery, the door remained ever closed.

And there she was.

Koi.

A girl bred from the purest darkness who sought my companionship.

She had long sepia-colored hair tied firmly in a high ponytail, deep black eyes staring unflinchingly into my own, and warm-colored skin. Stray hair strands rested softly beside her cheeks, framing her face rather delicately despite the mature expression she seemed to portray. She wore all black - a two-quarter sleeved shirt, which exposed her collarbone and flat stomach, form-fitting trousers with a single white streak on either pant leg, and slim ankle-length boots.

Chalk drawings from where Sora, Kairi, and I drew as kids marked the boulders all around, yet I only wanted to indulge myself with her eyes. Maybe if I looked in far enough for a long set period of time, I might be able to spot the faintest of a flicker, maybe even a glow if I was able to trace it. There was none.

Without warning, what appeared to be ink darkness oozed out from behind the cracks of the door, snaking its way toward us. Koi didn't appear to look afraid of the rapidly approaching threat, and I sought no reason to steel myself against it.

So I did nothing but watch the dark tendrils weave throughout the sandy ground and solid walls to smother the whole cave, soon coming to shroud around our feet. I wanted to tug my feet out of this substance, but then I began to lose the energy for it. No, not the energy; what I lost was the will - to want - to move. The dark tendrils began wrapping around our legs, and we were inflexibly rooted to our spots. I felt as though I just lost my only chance of escape.

As I struggled throughout this whole ordeal, she didn't even budge an inch. By the time I figured out it was no use; I could not even see my chest because everything else was slowly being swallowed up in darkness. What's happening? How come everything was beginning to disappear right before my very eyes?

Now, I couldn't find anything, which stood out. The cave, the drawings, the door, Koi… They were all gone. Now I was alone...

The ground had abandoned me, too for there was nothing to support me in standing. I began to free-fall into the shelter of darkness's empty embrace. It soothed me with invisible fingers, coaxing my eyelids to drift shut, using its aesthetic coldness to cajole me in some sort of comatose protection.

Fending off my future inner demons by numbing all of my emotions-

Why... what's happening to me...?

* * *

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Only Tetsuya Nomura does. **_

Koi's my original character and there is more to come.

And to all my fans who still remain to check the newly edited chapter, THANK YOU - and - SORRY!

Now that I'm back on track with this story, I won't stray from updating it. At least, I'll cover KH: CoM before stopping to wait for Kingdom Hearts 3 to come out.

Lunar'sWolf, you will wait no longer. The story is back, currently being revised and even better then ever!!

Give kudos to my Beta-Reader Tenchi Kai who's editing my Riku story. She ROCKS!!


	2. Chapter 1 Slumber

Chapter 1- Slumber

_**"When you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." **_

**_- Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)_**

* * *

Darkness.

Slowly, I opened my eyes.

Again, darkness.

Where… was I?

I stood, in the midst of blackness, all alone and by myself.

How did I end up here? Was this... perhaps a dream?

Taking one tentative step forward, I gasped in surprise when the floor suddenly flickered beneath my feet. Light gushed into my eyes, without warning, and I raised my arms to shield my face from the sheer brightness. The darkness below me was repelled by the light, becoming moving fragments, which detached itself from the ground. I soon came to realize the fragments of darkness were birds. A flock of ravens awoke upon my intrusion and had spread their wings to take flight. They proudly flapped their wings and soared off into the great void. One by one, they eventually disappeared as part of the darkness, leaving me to gape in awe at the mystifying sight. Next, I dropped my gaze downcast, studying the giant platform of glowing, stained glass. Its dark coloring depicted a pale-skinned, sinister woman garbed in a set of black and violet robes with a single raven perched atop her shoulder. Clasped within her hand was a slender staff, which possessed an evil, green sphere lodged onto the tip.

Suddenly, a booming voice echoed far and wide within this dreary abyss, demanding my undivided attention.

__

Too many wants... and too many needs... Take it easy...

Huh? H-hey, who in the world was talking to me? I looked around urgently, unable to find the source - much to my chagrin. It sounded so far away... but very near at the same time. Was it perhaps coming from my conscience?

__

Don't worry. You're still you.

Of... of course I was! Why would I be someone else?

__

Walk forward. Can you do it?

Of course, I can do it, I thought indignantly, who do you think I am?

I wordlessly complied with its request and trudged forward, feeling the foreign sensation of my bones shifting under my skin with odd satisfaction. It struck me as unusual, how relieved I felt to be in total control of my body. Soon, a faint light glowed down on me from up above the endless black ceiling, bestowing me warmth.

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Seek the power of your heart.

A beam of soft light appeared to my left. Curious, I turned my head to see a stone-white pedestal emerge from the ground, like a sleeping flower blooming underneath the sunlight. And on the pedestal laid a weapon, remarkably shaped like a classic skeleton key. The blade and teeth were silver, while the guard was gold. I noticed how the teeth was fashioned like a crown, which kind of reminded me of the necklace Sora usually wore, because the pendent looked a lot like it. And the keychain that dangled from the end of the hilt resembled three circles; one large and two smaller ones connected to it.

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When in times of dire need...

Then, I cocked my head to the other side, to which I found a second beam of light appear on the far right, along with another stone pedestal, which bore a similar, different weapon. The blade and teeth were entirely black, while the guard was a crimson red. The shape of the teeth was notably sharp and jagged in ways it resembled a peculiar silhouette of a heart. Oddly, it had no keychain.

__

...survival is of the essence.

It took me by surprise when a third beam of light appeared in front of me, revealing yet another stone tablet from the depths of the floor. It housed a scimitar-esque sword, with a scarlet red and violet blue blade shaped like a demonic-wing. The handle bore an aqua jewel. No keychain complemented this sword either.

__

Choose a weapon.

From the voice's command, I decided to approach the black one first. Before I could even reach the pedestal, the blade unexpectedly flashed into my hands. I inaudibly admired the smooth feel and touch of this ominous sword, which somehow betrayed the half-hearted sense of comfort. The calm power entrapped within this item, lying dormant and unused - I could sense it on the skin of my fingertips.

__

A blade made from the purest of hearts. A blade that can open the deepest, darkest part of a person's heart. It influences the belief of cynicism.

I directed my gaze upwards into the darkness hopefully, wanting to see the face of the speaker - the one who was guiding me. However, the echo of its words drifted to and fro inside my ears, eventually subsiding into silence. My eyes then returned to the sword, briefly considering it.

__

Is this the weapon you choose?

The moment I hesitated, it flashed off my hands, breaking off into a flurry of sparkling lights, before it completely vanished from sight.

I turned back around to look at the two remaining swords, choosing the silver one next on a whim. The same result occurred, having the blade teleport in my hands much like the other one. My eyes scanned the weapon, all the while thinking it looked harmless - more at willing to bring peace. To have it back into my hands, why did it feel so... familiar to me?

__

A blade meant for a frail-hearted being. A blade that can release a captive heart from a heartless being. It beholds the role of heroism.

To choose the weapon of light, which would shackle me to responsibility - to save innocents in need of saving over my own safety - I wanted none of it. I blinked, uncertain and confused. But... Why? What brought these emotions unto me?

__

Is this the weapon you choose?

As if already aware of my answer, the weight of the weapon vanished from within the folds of my fingers, to seek another master worthy of wielding its power. The air of its disappearance breezed through my empty hands, leaving a chill of loneliness to settle in my heart. And yet, I was all the more glad to get rid of that blunt-edged sword.

I concluded that both swords weren't quite befitting for my character. The grey one looked like a plastic toy sword young boys liked to fight with in their petty little games of playing the brave hero and saving the beautiful princess from the evil villain. On the other hand, the black one looked extremely dangerous, and I didn't want to take my chances with it.

So, that meant I only had one option left.

My feet started walking on its own accord, to reach the third weapon, which actually caught my attention the most from the very beginning. Once the blade willingly appeared in my hands, it deliberately clung to my hand like super glue, no matter how I tried to will it away. Huh, that's nice to know, my blade wanting to be my familiar. I smirked, amused, finding the thought funny about inanimate objects having feelings.

__

You chose the blade of darkness.

It is a blade no one can wield; it is a blade made for you. It reveals the path to your truth.

The voice said no more. I couldn't prepare for what would happen next. Immediately, a malformed shadow crawled across the platform in my direction. Like a panicky mole, it sprung out from its two-dimensional image, the little antennas on its head twitching in excitement. What was this thing? I kept a weary eye on the ant-like creature and took a steady step forward to get a closer look at it. It appeared to be smaller than half my size; its small, impish limbs crooked, the feet large and floppy, and the eyes like a pair of golden marbles.

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There are times when you have to fight and if you want to search for your truth, darkness will try to hurt you.

Whatever this monster was, it didn't come alone. Several more of them appeared on the platform as dark spots, before they had decided to become solid. Although outnumbered, I didn't hesitate to poise for battle. No sooner did I fall into my usual stance, the creatures made the first move. They all sprung at me at once, stretching their scrawny arms in an attempt to attack. What pitiful effort. They were too predictable to read. I simply dodged out of its way and with two easy thrusts, eliminated two on the spot. The two I had defeated exploded into black mist, and I fell back into my stance - daring the surviving monsters to attack.

At this bold display of confidence, the rest of the creatures sunk back cowardly into the glass floor. I smirked, victorious, resting my blade atop my right shoulder. Even though I had no idea what was going on here, I simply brushed this place off as a dream. Might as well play along.

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Don't think you've won…

Suddenly, my smile faltered when I noticed that from out of the darkness, human-like shadows took the place of the previous ones; its antennas much longer and springier and where their movements were faster than the last bunch of wimps. I felt the weight of my weapon disappear from my hand, as if somebody stole the power - the _right_ - from me. I involuntarily took a step back. In turn, the black monsters spread out to surround me completely. I had no where to run. Honestly, I never felt so vulnerable in my entire life.

…_Darkness will just come back and grow stronger. _

The creatures forsook its solid form to slither back into the ground as shadows again. Then, I watched them all merge together with dark blotches that had formed beneath each one. To my dread, more blotches of darkness appeared on the purple glass-like surface. Spreading first near the circular rim, then getting closer to where I stood. W-what should I do? It's not that I couldn't move, but... _where _should I move? The dark patches were everywhere! There's no telling what it would do to me once I got caught in it.

The sudden indecision distracted me long enough for the dark void to appear beneath my feet, and I gasped in shock the moment I sunk into it. I fought desperately from my rooted spot, my heart wildly beating in sheer panic. Time sped faster due to my helplessness.

My mind blanked out and all I could feel were my limbs straining to break free of it, the ice-cold liquid dark prickling at my skin. This darkness seemed different to me somehow... it felt more evil, and malignant... It didn't want to protect me at all. More like swallow me whole where no light could be found. To keep me asleep forever, so I would no longer have the choice to exist.

Survival, I realized, was something I couldn't do by myself. Now, more than ever, I wanted somebody - _anybody _- to save me from this horrible nightmare.

Then, I felt a familiar pressure of dark energy ease into my heart, flushing out all my fears and worries. This left room for my dwindling spirit to be rekindled by faith. Without a doubt, somewhere out there, somebody was watching over me. That had been my last thought, before I slipped into unconsciousness, a dreamless slumber within a dream.

...

My aqua eyes shot open. The painful jolt of awakening almost made me want to go back to sleep. Almost. But alas, my willpower was stronger than that. The thick, hollow depths of darkness was what greeted me. Immediately, I realized the dream _still_ had not ended, yet, even after that heart-stopping experience. I pounded my fists against the floor, if only to expel my frustration. I hated to be messed with, especially by a disembodied voice that believed it knew the secrets of the universe.

Regaining my bearings, I balanced myself onto my knees and looked downwards to study the newly depicted portrait on the glass surface. A dark-skinned man clothed in a long grey coat had his arms outstretched in a beckoning motion, the long locks of his silver hair draped across his broad shoulders. The darkness appeared to be swarming him from all sides, mercilessly eroding his body and tarnishing his spirit. I stood up cautiously and dusted my pants off, to get rid of the morbid image imprinted within my mind. Why that person would do that to himself, I didn't want to know.

Casting my lingering gaze across this empty abyss, I wondered if there was anything else that called for my attention. Indeed, what stood a good distance away was a door, painted a delicate fuchsia. The top glass windows were embroidered with colorful mosaic pieces. I approached it and as soon as I reached the door, I raised my hands to grasp at the handles. However, to my utter shock, my gloved hands passed right through the transparent door. The monotone voice spoke again, reminding me of its mysterious presence. To be honest, I had nearly forgotten it was ever there.

__

Not all doors are willing to open by themselves. The most resilient of hearts and the keys of destiny are needed.

The ghost door suddenly solidified, startling me out of my thoughts. How did it do that? Either it became solid on its own, or... someone made it appear. I wondered which one was true. Out of the corner of my eye, a hand came to rest on the door, and I turned my head to see Koi standing beside it. What was _she _doing here? Her black eyes bored into mine, unreadable, before she decided to ask:

"Do you want to seek the answers for all your questions?"

The mysterious door...

Kairi, and the meteor shower...

Other worlds residing in the unknown universe...

"Y... yes." To use my voice for the first time in my own dream sounded infinitely strange.

"Go on," she encouraged. "It may very well be located inside." Or maybe not, but I shouldn't discourage myself. Time to go check what's on the other side. Taking a deep breath, I slid my fingers around the now solid handles and pulled the double doors ajar. Simultaneously, light burst forth from within and I yelped in surprise, lifting my hands to block out the harmful rays of light from blinding my retinas. Once the light gave away and my eyes were no longer agitated, I opened them to see... my island? Was this... was this really my island?

My query was proven true by the unmistakable sound of rushing water lapping over the sandy beach. I stood on one of the wooden platforms, which was built in-between a set of trees. What was I doing back here? Did the dream finally end? And if it had, how did I fall asleep standing up? I didn't think it was possible to fall asleep while standing, or that could just be me. The many mysteries of the world... Even after all that had occurred, I still couldn't help but feel a bit skeptical.

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Be patient. We're not there, yet… I want to know more about you.

I should've known... By hearing this voice, I must still be in this weird dream. How wonderful.

"Riku." I jerked around at the call of my name, to come face-to-face with a boy I recognized as one of my friends. The boy had spiky, dirty blonde hair and he wore a short yellow jacket with white sleeves, along with a pair of sandals. The length of his blue shorts was longer on one leg than the other. Still a bit disoriented from this bizarre dream, I slowly smiled at the young boy.

"Hey, Tidus." Although he appeared normal on the surface, a blank smile touched his lips and his cerulean eyes held neither innocence nor emotion on his cheeky face. Tidus refused to reply to my greeting, instead choosing to act silent and give me the cold shoulder. This caused my smile to drop. What's up with him?

Then, I heard the unexpected noise of wood creak from behind me. Curious, I turned around and saw a girl sitting atop the wooden railing, stretching her limbs and releasing a huge yawn as though she had just woken up from a good nap. Swinging her legs playfully back and forth, she grinned a mysteriously cold smile. I recognized the atypical style of her curly auburn hair, her sleeveless yellow dress, and brown sandals. Disregarding the hardness in her green eyes, I stepped forward to greet her, hoping that her response would be nothing like Tidus'.

"Hi, Selphie." She shook her head, and grinned a giggly smile, before she started humming loudly to tune me out. Although I was regarded as the cool, calm, and collected teen of the group, it still hurt not to be acknowledged at all, like I had disappeared from the face of the earth. Well, if Selphie was going to be like that, I might as well ignore her, too. It's not like I hadn't done it before.

"Hmph." Puffing out my chest slightly in an indignant manner, I swerved around and stomped off with absolute intention of leaving the two weirdoes behind. Though I would have succeeded if someone hadn't blocked my path off the platform. Who'd dare to step in my way? Lifting my eyes to glare at the person, it startled me to find another boy I knew from the island. He was pretty tall, about as tall as me, wearing a cream-colored tank top, baggy orange pants with X shaped straps on the bottom, and green sandals. He sported carrot-orange hair, which he must've put a lot of gel in to keep his hair vertical, and hugged underneath one arm was his favorite blue and white beach ball.

"Wakka...?" He grinned roguishly and fixated his attention on the ball that was now spinning rapidly on his fingertip. The fascination he held for the ball was so great, he couldn't even spare me a single glance.

You know what, I thought with vehemence, these guys were really beginning to tick me off. But at the same time, their strange behavior succeeded in creeping me out, their cold actions equivalent to that of a stranger's. They surely didn't act as the three obnoxious kids I knew. But what totally scrambled my wits was the questions, which exploded from their lips with disturbingly perfect sync.

"What is most important to you?" - "What are you most afraid of?" - "What do you want outta life?"

"Whoa, whoa. Slow down," I exclaimed, holding my hands out defensively, "At least, let me get a word in." Before I had a chance to respond again, Selphie spoke first to begin spilling to me the relentless amount of thoughts left unsaid, which I had never taken the care to listen to before. Except this time, I had no choice in the matter.

"I hear being number one is what it's all about," Selphie remarked gleefully, as though she was sharing a juicy piece of gossip. "But, I just don't get why boys get so intense when it comes to competition. It's stupid, if you ask me." Then, a pout of exasperation marred her cheerful image, before she crossed her arms brusquely. Well, excuse me for being a boy. "But you know..." She drifted away with her thoughts, an annoyingly dreamy smile etched on her lips. "I think friendship is the most important thing to have. Otherwise, how can you survive through loneliness your whole life?" Next, her eyes suddenly widened in panic, her smile quickly vanished to be replaced by an expression of horror. "Oooh, I would be so mortified if I lost any of my prized possessions!" Her superficiality downright irritated me. I forget sometimes how much of a girly-girl she tended to be. "They're so important to me, because people I've thought as special gave them to me."

"I'm afraid to grow older because we don't get to be kids anymore," Tidus suddenly began, his tone uncharacteristically melancholic. "Then, we won't get to do fun stuff together anymore..." He hung his head low with quiet sadness. So unlike Tidus. Then, some new train of thought caused him to look up at me again. "Don't you think it's depressing, to become different? It would be so hard to find someone who would really like you for who you are. That's what scares me the most." Really now? The Tidus I knew took no care in other people's opinions. But I would rather have him stop talking now. A headache had begun to form because of Selphie's jabbering and it was steadily getting worse the more Tidus talked. New heavy and morbid thoughts were invading my mind, because I was actually considering the words he was saying. "How about being indecisive? If you don't know what to do or what to choose, you'd be totally lost in life. I'd hate to be that kind of guy..."

"I would love to see the many amazin' rare sights out there," Wakka said, somewhat casually. He darted his eyes wistfully at the sky, his voice almost coming out like a whisper. "Haven't ya always wondered if they were all alike?" Of course I did! There was never a day it hadn't crossed my mind. "Simply living in one place for too long can make ya ignorant of a lot of things. Try broadenin' your horizons. You'll be surprised on what you can learn." He winked at me, acting as though he had just given me a valuable piece of advice. Oh, please. All his words were things I've long been contemplating about. The frustration building up inside was becoming harder to quell. "I would like to be strong, ya? It's a great feeling, to be able to pull through somethin' because of your strength alone."

This mental torture of being forced to listen to somebody else's thoughts did not end there. Instead, it instantly grew worse. Now everything they had already said began to repeat itself inside my mind. Again, and again, and again. Faster, and faster, and louder. I couldn't stop it. Shakily, I held my head. I couldn't take it all. They were asking me too many questions and they were flooding too many desires through my head. As soon as I thought I was going to suffer from a monster migraine, everything completely froze. From the movement of their bodies to the sound of their voices; it all stopped. It was dead silent. My horrendous headache simultaneously vanished as if it was erased from existence.

__

Your fears are groundless.

The voice...

__

Perceive your weaknesses and grow strong.

It sounded so much clearer. Not a whisper nor an echo, but a very smooth ring inside my mind.

__

To retrieve your missing link is a harsh journey all in itself.

A missing link? Did I lose something without being aware of it? How could that be possible when I didn't feel any different?

I blinked twice, trying to register the image of Koi standing before me. Questions filtered into my head, unanswered. How'd she get here? What was she going to do? Would I ever wake from this dream? She speechlessly lifted her eyes to the sky and raised her hand, summoning the darkness, letting it sweep across the whole island. One thing happened right after the next like a chain reaction. First and foremost, the light had been snuffed out. No more sunlit days, and no more starlit nights. Secondly, the trees and plantation began to wilt, the wood started to decay, and the grains of sand became stale. Thirdly, the pristine ocean had been vacuumed dry, no longer present to nourish the land. And lastly, my island disappeared only for the dark abyss to return to me. I watched this all transpire before my eyes with a mix of trepidation and relief.

The emotions I felt... the anxiety, indecision, and confusion... was it all just an illusion?

The previous door that I had ventured in was nowhere in sight, and so was Koi. Now what should I do? To answer my lonely question, a series of rectangular stained-glass platforms appeared to form a stairway up to what I assumed was another platform. Taking a quick look around, I found nothing else of notable interest. Nonetheless, I ascended the steps for what seemed like ages until I could see the picturesque design on the glass floor. It was awfully simplistic, nothing more than a mere white and black abstract, of a person and its shadow. When I stepped into a beam of soft light at the center of the platform, the monotone voice made its presence once again known.

__

Your life is determined by your choices and it is influenced by your mistakes.

Suddenly, two copies of myself stood at opposite directions from me. The five-year-old version of me stood there silently to my left, not yet touched by maturity to know the meaning of life, yet. And to my right, an unfamiliar Riku stood taller and more stoic, as if he witnessed something firsthand, something that he shouldn't have seen and somehow redeemed for it painfully.

__

Would you like to sleep in the darkness of your past?

I spared one glance at my young clone, to recall a time when I first gazed upon the mysterious door in the secret place. It struck curiosity in me, to feel an undeniable temptation to open it… someday. Immediately, a separate image superimposed this one, before it quickly vanished from memory; a pair of diamond blue eyes, which coldly mirrored my own. What _was_ that just now?

__

Or would you rather pursue after the light of your future?

In turn, I stole a glance at my second clone to envision a scene where Sora, Kairi, and I were hanging out at our usual spot. Strange, I mused, even though our appearances looked older and different, it's as if we never left the island. So, did that mean we abandoned our plans to travel outside our home in search of other worlds? Then, the image shifted to show Kairi running towards both Sora and I with a glass bottle cradled in her hands, before it completely deteriorated. I shook my head once, twice, trying to recollect the image and comprehend its mystery. Alas, I could not salvage anything. Except, I could've sworn that bottle had contained a letter.

__

Perhaps you prefer to awaken in the twilight of the present.

I snapped my gaze at front. There, at the far side of the platform, stood another Riku, erect and confident - my perfect mirror reflection.

However, besides our similar age–

His body was coated with some red, black, and navy blue material. A long white, spiky cloth was strapped around his waist to contrast against the dark muscle suit, and his eyes were a dim green color. What perturbed me most was the evil smirk snaking across his face -_ my_ face.

That couldn't be me... could it?

Despite the tingly sensation that trickled down my spine to warn me of the danger, I couldn't tear my eyes away from those icy, green-blue eyes. They possessed an odd looming energy. Subconsciously, I wanted that energy, that power to strike down all who'd dare to oppose me.

Without warning, recurring images and unfamiliar scenes began to rush into my head uncontrollably, but of the first - a secluded chain of small islands, depicting a settlement of residents on the main island. A neighboring islet was the children's playground, mostly covered in trees and shrubbery and yellow sandy beaches. There dwelled a wooden beach hut, a tree house built into a large tree, a miniature plateau connected near to the island, a bridge which could be crossed to reach it, and a cove that consisted of boat ruins and a race course.

Two teenaged boys, side by side, the bestest of friends and the most stubborn of rivals, and a girl with dark red hair. She began the countdown for the longest, hardest race of their lives.

"Three!"

The sky, it was so blue...

"Two!"

The land, it felt so unbreakable...

"One!"

And the ocean, it looked so pretty...

"Go!"

Laughter instead of the silence, the abyss no more as the bright, homey, radiant sun replaced the darkness...

Sora and I, racing neck to neck... Kairi running behind us... the both of us looking back to give her cheerful smiles...

"_Don't be afraid…"_

Sora and I chased after something, racing with adrenaline pumping in our bodies, our surroundings speeding passed us in odd rushing colors of blue, orange, pink and purple.

The puppet boy suddenly fled inside a door, soon releasing a loud scream of fright. We entered the chamber and were met with the sight of a huge parasite monster holding the puppet boy in its cage as prisoner.

We both glanced at each other before exchanging knowing smiles, relaying the telepathic agreement of teamwork.

Nonetheless, we both drew our swords and charged at the humongous creature. I swung my blade down at the parasite with all my might and it clashed precipitously against its arm, sparks flaring off its steel-hardened armor.

_"Darkness will never misguide you."_

My blade then clashed against Sora's blunt-edged sword, sparks flying off dangerously between us in more ways than one. This time, _I_ was the one clothed in dark clothes and Sora glared at _me _- as if _I_ was the enemy.

Fighting me, in devotion to Kairi... to reach and save her... from the evil monster – his _best friend _–

Suddenly, Sora found a blind spot and struck me at my side, shoving me away.

I didn't collapse as Sora thought, but instead dashed up the stairs... through a door leading to a corridor...

Sprinting... and sprinting...

My thoughts a hazy angst, my heart ferociously beating inside my ribcage like it was about to burst–

_"And don't forget..."_

Sora dashed into a room and found Kairi's comatose body lying limp on the ground. He hurriedly knelt beside her and lifted her torso to shake her gently, calling her name a couple of times in hopes to awaken her. However, her eyes refused to open.

Then, Sora's eyes darted to glare at someone standing atop a short flight of steps, the antagonist of the entire story. There behind the young man existed a large keyhole-shaped portal, a multitude of wild and unstable energy flowing within. Inside it led to the almighty Realm of Darkness, where the heart of all worlds resided; the heart of the universe.

I, consciously aware of the evil darkness coursing throughout my entire body, peered through my eyes, the one-sided mirror... and watched as the body I used to harbor was now being used against me like a marionette.

Whoever the puppeteer was pulled at the invisible strings expertly beyond my reach, and I helplessly observed this devastating scene unfold before my very eyes.

We both charged at each other with our blades drawn once again, clashing and dancing to avoid the raining slices, the piercing jabs, the impaling strikes, the flying punches and kicks, and the repetitive magic spells...

Eventually, Sora found the opportune moment to swing around and hit me. However, I somersaulted just in time to dodge his strike. Smoothly gliding back down to the ground, my body disintegrated away to reveal–

Dark olive skin, long bleach white hair, a grey cloak blanketing the new burly body, powerful muscled arms crossed over his chest, a devilish smirk gracing his unwanted presence.

I began to slip into the unconsciousness because of the overwhelming visions. The man's maniacal evil laughter filtered into my head and echoed within my mind... singing his victory, his domination...

Until the monotone voice broke through the nightmarish dream.

**_"You are what stands in between the light and dark."_**

* * *

**(A/N):** More or less, Riku's Awakening.

If you can guess, it foreshadows a lot of events in this story. Especially the KH1 Arc.

This is one of my favorite chapters to date, but it might change when I get to write and publish more chapters.

One thing, though. The major difference in this story is that Riku knew Koi for a long time, instead of meeting her for the first time in Chapter 3. Just like Sora is bonded with Kairi, Riku and Koi are bonded in their own way.

So, this story, though fan made, is a novelization of Kingdom Hearts in Riku's POV, with my own little touches. Expect the scenes coming from the game factual, and my original scenes revolving them to be improvised to fit that flow.

**Edit -** _To the readers who've read the previous version of this chapter, it's obvious the substantial amount of scenery detail I've input. Doesn't it seem much better now? I put some painstaking effort in revising this. XP Anyways, I have to give credit to Hikaranko, because I borrowed some (not all) details from her novelization of Kingdom Hearts and paraphrased them to fit this chapter. I might do this again for a couple more chapters, but other than that what I write in this story is original._


	3. Chapter 2 Calm Before The Storm

Chapter 2- Calm Before The Storm

"I've had a wonderful time, but this wasn't it."

-Groucho Marx (1895-1977)

* * *

It was a new day, the mid-afternoon.

And it's another day of working on the raft. The raft we would soon set sail with in order to explore the outside worlds beyond these island walls.

You could consider it work for my friends and me, but it's not going exactly the way I planned. I wiped the sweat off my forehead with the back of my gloved hand and I squinted at the humid sun.

Where were Sora and Kairi?

Being the only one doing the work, I expected the other two to pitch in as well. I pondered at the almost finished raft until I speculated that we needed another log. Sighing, I trudged across the island in search for the item before I spotted Wakka throwing the beach ball expertly within his hands.

"What is happening, man?" he greeted with an islander accent.

"Nothing, just under some manual labor," I answered, humoring him. I lit up when I noticed a stray, yet solid log laying off to the side under some leafy brush.

"You the only one? Where's Sora and Kairi?" My eyebrow twitched in annoyance. Did he have to mention those lazy morons?

"No idea." It only took seconds for me to haul the log easily onto my shoulder. I sighed, feeling a little weary. "Anyway, I'm almost finished for the day." He shrugged and headed off to probably hang out with Tidus.

I planned on heading back to the raft, but stopped when I noticed a few kids into the distance.

My feet pounded on the golden sand as I approached them, the heavy log held firm and steady under my right arm. Shoulder-length, silver hair wisped across my shoulders as my aqua green eyes settled upon a boy and girl conversing. Without me in the middle of my two friends, Sora and Kairi looked like clueless lovebirds.

"I want to see it, too!" Sora exclaimed cheerfully. He sat on the sand while Kairi was faced away from him, indulging in the captivating view of the glittering ocean while she listened to Sora boast of his desires. "There are so many amazing worlds out there. And I want to see them all!"

Satisfied with his answer, Kairi whirled around and gave him a genuine grin, her sapphire eyes sparkling. "So, what are we waiting for?" Hmph, she never gave me that look before. Thinking this was a good opportunity, I stepped in.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, "Aren't you forgetting about me?" Startled, they both turned their eyes in my direction. A playful smirk adorned my lips as my eyes flickered with tease. "So, I guess I'm the only one working on the raft."

Honestly, I thought those guys were way too ahead of themselves if they planned on excluding me.

Walking passed Sora, I tossed him the log and he yelped in surprise, unable to catch the heavy piece of wood in time before it pinned him painfully to the sand. I stopped in front of Kairi, looking at her accusingly while I placed a hand on my hip.

"And you're just as lazy as he is!" Kairi chuckled nervously, retreating her hand behind her head to rub it for the hope of comfort. I guessed I found her out.

"So you noticed." Then, she perked up when an idea popped in her head. "Okay, we'll finish the raft together! I'll race you!" I, who just sat on the sand beside Sora, was wiped out. Sora had somehow miraculously removed the log from his person.

"Huh?"

"What, are you kidding?" Kairi merely ignored our questions with a grin.

"Ready? Go!"

Sora and I glanced at each other.

In a split second, we shot to our feet and sprinted across the sandy shore.

Kairi soon raced behind us and we all wore joyful smiles, relishing the feel of the refreshing breeze rushing passed us.

I noticed Sora gradually catching up to me and I gave him a cocky smirk, who returned it with a stare of determination.

Adrenaline pumped in our bodies for we didn't plan on giving up to the other, and Kairi giggled, enjoying the fun moment. The sun glistened brightly down upon the island, as all three of us were completely unaware of what was in store for our adventure.

* * *

Slouching sloppily against the trunk of my personal crooked tree, I gazed at the ocean lethargically.

Sora was off receiving instructions from Kairi on what supplies he needed to get for the raft. Me? I had already delivered my share of physical labor ages ago and found nothing else better to do. Just gazing off at the view, pondering was all I ever did anyway.

But this time, experiencing yet _another _nightmare via last night stressed me out and made me lose substantial amount of sleep.

Maybe... I could take a nap. Get some shut eye. That would surely help...

...

Somebody giggled. "…should we wake him up?"

"Why? Riku never lets his guard down. Though, this is the first time I've seen him asleep..."

"Don't you think he looks peaceful?"

I took a deep breath. The darkness behind my closed eyelids was comforting and I would hate to leave it.

"Hey, I got an idea. Let's poke him!" They chuckled mischievously and I twitched, clearly disturbed of the index fingers jabbing my face.

"Cut it out." I grumbled, swatting their hands away.

I turned on my side to get more comfortable... only to fall off the tree and collapse on the ground.

"Pfft... AHA HA HA HA HA!" I sat up, rubbing my head drowsily while trying to drown out the sound of their bellowing laughter pounding harshly within my ear drums. Dammit all... couldn't get any decent sleep.

I opened my eyes, though they felt heavy so it was a slow process, but now I regretted doing so. Sora and Kairi were doubled over in laughter, their goofy grins stretched painfully across their faces while tears tinted the corner of their eyes. In other words, a very _very _annoying sight.

Crossing my arms, I glared at them until they were finally able to stop. Kairi was the first to respond to my look.

"We couldn't help it, Riku." Kairi replied, a childish pout now marring her cheeks, "You looked so harmless— It's cute!" Kairi's getting annoying with her giggling like a fangirl.

"We don't know how long you slept, but we were starting to wonder if you were even alive." Well, it's nice to know Sora cared about my well-being. Sora smiled at me, not doing a very good job of hiding his chuckles.

I could never trust letting my guard down around these two. Planning on giving them the silent treatment, I closed my eyes lazily to block out their annoying faces.

"Riku? Riku! Are you listening to us?" No, Kairi. I didn't feel like humoring you for the day. You two ruined my beauty sleep.

"Earth to Riku!" I felt one of their hands wave in front of my face, but I remained ever stubborn against forgiving them. "Well, look who's the cranky one today."

I opened an eyelid to peer at Sora grinning at me. No respect for his best friend, huh. I still felt tired, but it wouldn't hurt to have a workout.

"To have you two as a wake-up call does that to me. You wouldn't mind if I vented my crankiness out of you, right Sora?" I innocently asked, though I was internally agitated.

Kairi faked a surprised gasp. "Lord Riku has spoken!" She giggled, pinching my cheek, yet I shoved her hand away in irritation. "It's a miracle!"

Sora crossed his arms and thought for a few moments.

"You still won't beat me though," Sora grinned, confident.

"Then, prove it. Grab your sword."

"Alright, let's do it."

"This one decides the champion." I stood up and readied my wooden sword while Sora took his position across from me, gripping the identical weapon in his hands. Kairi, taking note of the competitive aura emanating from us, took a seat on my tree at the sidelines.

Sora made the first move, charging at me blindly to swing his sword. I brought my sword up to block his, and then side-jumped in time to dodge his next strike. He couldn't compose himself fast enough when I stepped forward and brought the sword down to hit him.

He winced at the throbbing pain on his arm and Sora plunged forward to attack me again. I decided to take his hit and shrewdly fell on the ground, feigning defeat. Now to surprise him... I leaned all my weight back and propelled my body off the ground, giving full force into my kick. That sudden overwhelming blow caused Sora to stumble back painfully onto the ground.

Sora felt a shadow looming over him and he lifted his gaze to notice me towering over him, a smug smile of victory planted on my face. He's too much of an amateur. Compared to me, anyway.

"Don't tell me you've given up already." From my teasing remark, Sora glared at me.

"Let's have another go."

"Come on." I held up my wooden sword to block him once again the moment Sora swung his sword down hard against mine. He chucked his sword at mine a couple more times before I successfully tore through his dead-on attacks, but luckily for him he dodged my swing.

Without losing a beat, I turned to swipe my blade at him, yet he rolled away and jogged out of my reach, eyeing me carefully. I smirked, jumping back onto my tree and taunting Sora to attack me.

Nonetheless, he rushed forward and I leapt off the tree, catching him off guard and side-stepping his strikes, waiting for the opportune moment to unleash my finishing blow.

I ducked in between most of Sora's attacks, before I finally elbowed him in the stomach. He doubled over in pain, clenching his hurt stomach.

"I won. Again." I said, smiling smugly.

"Hey, Riku. That was unfair!" Ignoring Kairi's outburst, I lazily rocked my sword back and forth while I stretched out my sleepy and cramp muscles. Sora gazed at the ground rather quietly, trying to cope with the blow I gave him. "Ow..." Then, he slowly forced his body to stand, turning toward Kairi with a reassuring smile.

"C'mon, Kairi. Riku's only trying to bring me up into top shape."

I smiled, grateful of his defense. "Heh, you still don't got it." He huffed from my remark, crossing his arms.

"Now it's zero-to-two..."

"Yeah, you go and keep on counting." My best friend would never beat me as long as I had anything to say about it. Now Sora started protesting when I pulled him in, giving him the worst mind-boggling noogie of his life.

"Hey, stop! That hurts!"

The two of us laughed cheerily and Kairi smiled, fondly watching us.

* * *

I leaned against the trunk of the tree while Kairi sat between Sora and I, whereas Sora was to her right. We quietly gazed at the setting sun inking into many soft glowing colors of pink, orange, and yellow as the sunlight gently illuminated the calm ocean.

And soon, I tore my eyes away from the beautiful sight to glance at Sora's uncommon expression of deep thinking.

"So, Kairi's home is out there somewhere, right?" Sora inquired, motioning to me for a response.

"Could be," I simply replied, my arms folded comfortably across my chest. I was apparently in deep thought, too, but it wasn't about Kairi. "We'll never know by staying here." Sora and Kairi could tell I wanted nothing more than to get off this island. It's practically the only thing I talked about lately.

"But how far could a raft take us?"

"Who knows?" I remarked, merely waving my hand in the air before re-crossing my arms. "If we have to, we'll think of something else."

"So, suppose you get to another world. What would you do there?" Kairi waited for my answer shortly before I hummed in thought. Hmm... what _would_ I do there?

"Well, I haven't thought about it. It's just…" I paused. I was piecing together my thoughts, considering how I should say them. "I've always wondered why we're here on this island. If there are any worlds out there, why did we end up on this one? And so suppose there are other worlds…"

I paused once again to watch the hypnotic flow of the water tide washing back and forth across the sandy beach.

"Then ours is just a little piece of something much greater. So we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?" I inclined my head toward Kairi and Sora for their opinion. Sora merely lied back on the tree trunk, propping his hands behind his head as a pillow, a thoughtful frown marring his cheeks.

"I don't know," he replied finally with a shrug.

"Exactly." I then took the chance to unfold my arms and push my back off the tree. "That's why we need to go out there and find out." Uncrossing my legs, I stood up and kept my gaze at the sunset. "Just sitting here won't change a thing."

Kairi shook her head slightly and raised her sapphire eyes at the sky, having heard my little speech many times before. From the corner of my eyes, I could tell Sora was staring at me inquiringly.

"It's the same old stuff. So let's go."

"You've been thinking a lot, haven't you?" Kairi finally asked.

She had no idea.

"Thanks to you." I turned around to regard her with gratitude. "If you hadn't come here, I probably would've never thought of any of this. Kairi, thanks."

Kairi lightly hummed in content.

"You're welcome."

* * *

Deciding it was time to head on home, Kairi and Sora began walking across the bridge. However, I lagged behind, climbing up to the top of our crooked tree and snatching one of its star-shaped fruit. When I glanced at the direction of their retreating backs, I thought of an idea.

"Sora."

He turned around only to catch the odd fruit clumsily in his hands. "You wanted one, didn't you?" I pointed to it, merely teasing him for the fun of it. Who knew if he actually believed in the legend.

"The paopu fruit..." He inquired, temporarily lost in his own world.

"If two people share one, their destinies become intertwined." I explained, casually pacing in his direction. "They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what." Then, I walked pass him, only pausing to gauge his reaction.

Sora slowly turned in my direction, the fruit still present in his hands as if he was actually considering it. I bet he was thinking of a certain red-head...

"I know you want to try it."

He looked hella funny with that dopey expression on his face and I expressed my laughter freely, running down the steps with Sora following me in tow after he had shook his head to brush aside my joke, thus discarding the paopu fruit.

We engaged in another race, which obviously I won because of my head start.

"Riku, you cheater!"

I smirked. "Sore loser."

Sora only stuck his tongue out in retort and I chuckled. Childish, I tell you.

* * *

"I'm home." I called out into my dim room, closing the door behind me. "Koi, are you in here?" Glancing around my room, I finally spotted her sitting on my bed and idly reading a book. "Hey, I hope you weren't too bored by yourself."

"I wasn't." Next, I flopped onto the bed beside her and entwined my hands behind my head, closing my eyes. As always, the darkness felt comforting... "You look like you haven't gained much rest."

"Obviously. Due to the inner workings of a nightmare..." I sighed, wanting to confide in her of my anxiety. The way she always listened quietly to my qualms and secrets without ever judging me for it earned her my trust. Koi convinced me to believe I could tell her anything that I wouldn't dare share to anyone else. "Want me to tell you about it?"

I heard the faint sound of her closing the book and the slight noise of the book sliding across the bedside table. "There is no need," she said, "I had already visited you in your sleep and learnt of what was happening."

"So that _was _you." I thought as much. Koi could practically do anything with darkness on her side. "For a moment, I seriously thought I wouldn't wake up. Everything felt so real... disturbingly real."

"I know." Koi brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, easing my stress. The simple action felt nice and affectionate. "It could be a premonition. You'll be setting out soon on the raft, correct?"

"Yeah." Then, I sat up on my elbows, opening my eyes to regard her. "You'll be coming with me, right?"

Wordlessly, she cast her ebony eyes out into the open balcony, gazing at the starry night. What's she thinking about, I wondered.

Then, I sighed, a little disappointed of her lack of reply. "Look, I'm not forcing you. If you don't want to go, then don't."

"It's not that."

"Huh?" She got up from the bed and I curiously followed her out to the balcony. The cool evening breeze caressed my face as I traced Koi's eyes looking at the island, which was only a five-minute boat ride away.

Light protruded from the central area of the island, where the cave resided.

"The door is opening..." I could feel it, and I bet she could feel it, too.

My hand reached up to grip my heart, which was prickling in discomfort. Did I really want to face what would be released from the other side of that door?

* * *

**(A/N):**

Hah, part 1 of 2 of Destiny Islands. It was fun rewriting this. So much light-heartedness and fun...

Koi makes a general appearance in this one, and I'll explain why she was in his room. Technically, Koi's from another world and has darkness as her power, which can make her come and go into any world she pleases through the 'Corridors of Darkness'. And no, his family doesn't know she exists... yet. XP

Anyway, you have much to anticipate in the next chapter. We have 'The Obnoxious Trio' (Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie) with their own shining scene and some more of Riku's passive humor. And- (GASP) -does Riku open the door and destroy the islands or not...?

Read on to find out.


	4. Chapter 3 Night Of Lost Hearts

Chapter 3- Night Of Lost Hearts

"_**The way out is through the door. Why is it that no one will use this exit?" **_

**-Confucius**

* * *

_This world has been connected…_

**The golden sun shined brilliantly upon the innocently peaceful island, the carefree laughter of children abundant and full of life. Their blissful ignorance the cause of their happiness... **

**However, in that specific secret cave where only the slightest of sunlight could pour through the crack on the ceiling, the mysterious oval-like wooden door continued to fortify itself against the rock wall.**

…_Tied to the darkness…_

**Unimaginable darkness lurked ominously behind the sealed entrance. **

**Shadow-like creatures scraped their claws desperately against the surface of the wooden door, wishing and yearning to reach the heart of this world and claim it as their own.**

_Soon to be completely eclipsed._

**Laughter began to recede, the mesmerizing blue sky darkening to a morbid black, the once indigo ocean now a tainted violet...**

**My home was no longer what it once was; only torn asunder and overtaken by darkness. Something or… **_**someone**_** was the cause of this destruction.**

_You do not yet know what lies beyond the door._

**I floated amidst my subconscious, eyeing** **the door curiously, wanting to know greatly what resided on the other side. **

_There is so very much to learn._

**The door held significance, acting as the closed link between Destiny Islands and its darkness. **

_You understand so little._

**"Oh, yeah? Well, you'll see. I'm gonna get out and learn what's out there!" **

**Huh? Sora?**

_A meaningless effort._

**I began to fade away. **

**In sheer panic, I tried to grasp onto something that would keep me solid by frantically throwing my limbs around, but it was too late. My soul had already separated from my body and my efforts were all in vain.**

**The feeling of knowing I would vanish into the nonexistence frightened me.**

_One who knows nothing can understand nothing. _

* * *

"Ugh..." Sluggishly, I blinked and rubbed my sweaty forehead.

Stupid dreams... they never stopped.

"You're finally awake." I heard movement to my left and felt Koi touch my shoulder. "It's time for you to get ready."

I moaned in protest. Who in their right mind would look forward to another grueling day of manual labor? Nope, not me.

I huddled underneath my blanket, closing my drowsy eyes, refusing the will to get up.

"Riku, stop acting childish," she scolded. I said nothing and lied still, smirking when I thought she gave up.

I was wrong. Dead wrong.

The curtains were forcibly drawn apart to reveal the balcony and light mercilessly poured into my room, blinding me.

"The light..." I groaned in complaint, pulling the blanket over my head as a shield. "...it burns..."

Suddenly, my blanket was ripped away from my clutches and the morning cold immediately swept around me, causing me to shiver.

"Christ!" I gasped and stumbled off the bed, painfully landing on the carpet. "Koi! What the hell! It's cold." I sat up and rubbed the fresh new bump on my head morosely. I missed the warmth of my cozy bed already...

She ignored my outburst, like _all_ the other times and opted to spread the blanket neatly across my bed, folding the hem firmly underneath the mattress.

"There's no use in wasting the whole morning away. Go and do something. Spend time with your friends."

"Yes, _mother_..." I grumbled sarcastically, leaving her to make my bed as I retreated into the bathroom to freshen up. When I was done, I came out and headed to my closet, rummaging for my usual outfit.

While I was in the process of slipping on my black and yellow sleeveless shirt, I noticed Koi standing outside and leaning on the stone railing, gazing off distantly at the island.

I rolled my eyes. "Why don't you ever go to the island? I bet they won't mind you joining the group."

"I feel uncomfortable going outside during the daytime."

"Oh, right. I forgot. You're a _vampire_." I joked, pulling on my baggy pants, "I don't want you to start melting in broad daylight."

Now where's my shoes... Oh yeah– under my bed–

"They're not _my_ friends, Riku. They're yours, and you should spend as much time as you can with them before you set out on that raft you're building."

After slipping my sneakers on, I searched for my leather gloves and found them lying upon my desk. "...hey, you don't usually come by in the morning. What's up?" Glancing at her, I pulled my black gloves on over my hands and waited until Koi stole her attention away from the island to regard me with an emotionless stare.

"...I sensed you were having another nightmare."

"Oh..." I smiled faintly. "Thanks for checking up on me." Then, I suddenly remembered the schedule I had to fulfill for today. "Hey, I'll tell you all about it when I get back tonight. See ya."

I waved to her in farewell and exited my room, greeting my mom downstairs and eating the breakfast she prepared before heading off to sail to the island.

* * *

Finally arriving at the island, I leapt off my boat to land on the mini port. Did anyone come here before me?

Looking around, I glanced to my left to find Wakka and Selphie conversing on the docks. Then scanning the islands, I didn't know how to place the feeling when seeing nothing about the island had changed.

No darkness...

I vigorously shook my head. Now's not the time to get paranoid. Dreams and nightmares weren't real. I should just... forget about it.

...yet why did my home feel different than before?

"Riku!" Without warning, something heavy latched onto me and shoved me into the ground. I grumbled in displeasure, berating myself for being an idiot and letting my guard down. Apparently, the sand tasted the same, too, much to my chagrin. "Ohmigosh, this is like the first time I was able to jump you! Maybe the Great Riku is starting to get rusty."

At least this would always stay the same also. Tidus gloating about his _supposed_ superiority over me in combat.

I scowled, my eyebrow twitching from pure annoyance. Obnoxious little brat.

Tidus yelped in surprise when I suddenly jumped back onto my feet, forcing him to fall off my back where he previously just sat on.

"Feh. The only reason you were able to get me this one time was because I was distracted," I retorted while patting the sand off my clothes. "You, Wakka, and Selphie combined wouldn't be able to beat me even if I wasn't serious." I faced him, smirking arrogantly before placing a hand on my hip.

He pouted at me, the dimples on his tanned face popping out to decorate his baby fat cheeks.

"Is that a challenge?"

"You bet it is."

"You hear that guys?" Tidus crossed his arms and turned to face Wakka and Selphie approaching us, whom probably overheard our spout. "Riku says he can beat us all at the same time."

"I think our Riku here is mighty overconfident, ya?" Wakka remarked, bending his arms to hold the ball right behind his neck.

"It's only natural for the strongest fighter on our islands," Selphie chirped, smiling flirtatiously at me. "But still, I think Riku can't hold out his own against the three of us." She giggled, her oddly shaped curls bouncing on her shoulders.

"With our combined forces, Riku, you are going down!" Tidus pointed his red wooden rod at me, commencing the challenge.

"You're on." Jumping back a safe distance away, I unsheathed my wooden sword from my belt and took my defensive stance, awaiting their first move.

As I predicted, Tidus shot forward and swiftly charged at me head on, loosely waving his weapon in one hand with anticipation. Selphie was right behind him, guarding his back while twirling her lethal jump rope in order to follow up his first attack. And I could see Wakka at a distance, just about getting ready to throw his beach ball at me.

"Think fast!" I blocked Tidus' attack by holding my sword up before snatching one end of Selphie's rope the moment she threw it at me with my free hand to stretch it out under Tidus' feet, which successfully tripped him.

"W-woah!" The spiky blonde stumbled face-flat into the grainy sand, and I immediately ducked to evade Wakka's incoming ball. Selphie tugged on her tope, demanding me to let go of it, but I ignored her. Now running around her in circles, I wrapped the rope around her limbs until she couldn't move.

"You cheater!" she hollered tearfully, inevitably falling on her buttocks. I merely scoffed.

This was, of course, coming from the girl who could barely fight with a play toy at her disposal.

I nearly stumbled from surprise at the blow I received from Wakka's powerhouse punch, since I had failed to notice him retrieve his ball. Taking advantage of my momentary daze, Tidus somersaulted to hit me with a vertical thrust and I dropped on one knee, shaking my head to rid of the wooziness.

Secretly, my hand lowered to bury its fingers in a handful of sand, before I flicked the dust into Wakka's eyes and he gasped, rubbing his blind eyes.

Turning around in time to shield another assault from Tidus with my arm this time, I shoved him away and jerked toward Wakka to release a series of combos on him.

After he fell back onto the sand from miserable defeat, Wakka rubbed his head and frowned in embarrassment. "Ah man, today's just not my day..." With Wakka incapacitated, it was only me and Tidus now.

Irritated of my stamina, he hastily charged forward again and I smirked, taking advantage of his momentum by side-stepping him and putting my foot out to trip him onto his knees. Then, trapping him in a deadlock before he had a chance to get back up again, I violently scraped my knuckles against his head.

"Argh!! I give! I give!" he exclaimed, trying to shove my arms off, but I remained ever stubborn while completely enjoying his torment.

"Not so strong, are ya?" After five more grueling, long minutes of torturing him with my infamous noogie attack, I released the poor boy and let the defeated trio be. "Overconfident, am I?" I called back to them smugly.

"Okay okay... but wait till next time." Tidus remarked, his cobalt eyes glinting with enthusiasm. "Maybe you won't be so lucky."

"Maybe," I mocked, rolling my eyes, "I'll be looking forward to it."

"Heh." He grinned huge, rubbing his nose and I smirked, giving a two finger salute of farewell before leaving them behind.

Soon walking through a door that led to another area of the island where the raft could be found in its near completion, I stood off to the side and gazed at the ocean in deep contemplation.

Ah... today's the last day. Our raft should be fully prepared to set sail by tomorrow and we would finally get to leave this boring place.

So many places to explore, so many people to meet, and so many things to discover...

I wondered how long we'll be away from this place... not that I like it here or anything.

It was just a passing thought.

My attention from the sea didn't go interrupted until I heard the door open from behind me. Turning around, I saw Sora close it and he stepped forward, loitering around before he finally came to spot me.

"Hey, Sora," I replied, beckoning him to come over and he did so, "Our raft needs a name. Let's see…" What would be a good name...?

_The winds of Fate forever blow toward its awaiting destination..._

"How about Highwind? What would you call it?"

"Me?" Sora inquired, placing a hand on his chin in thought. "Well… hmm… Excalibur!" Since we might be fighting over the name of our raft…

"Hey, how bout…"

"The usual?" Sora smiled slyly, which earned me to smirk knowingly in return.

"Let's do it!" Then, Kairi left her post from the raft after hearing all of the commotion.

"You guys at it again?" She inquired. Then, she shook her head due to her haplessness of tolerating our rivalry. "All right, I'll be the judge." As soon as Kairi took her spot beside the door near us, she began to explain our challenge. "The usual rules apply: take any route you want… First one to tag that tree and make it back here wins."

The two of us stood beside each other at the starting line, until I noticed the glance Sora regarded me with.

"If I win, I'm captain!" Sora remarked, "And if you win…" Before he could think of a prize for my benefit, I decided on something that could make things much more interesting.

"I get to share a paopu with Kairi." I said it so casually that Sora practically did a double-take.

"Huh?"

"Deal?" I asked, smirking. "The winner gets to share a paopu with Kairi."

"What… wait a minute…" He shifted his eyes awkwardly, his mouth hung open in utter bewilderment.

"Okay." Kairi, who stood beside the door in amusement from our proposal, raised her arm to start the count. "On my count."

I kneeled down, waiting attentively for the second Kairi shouted the number three.

"1… 2… 3!"

We both immediately shot forward and sprinted across the wooden bridge, being careful to jump over the gaps. We were practically neck to neck until Sora beat me to the watchtower and I was forced to sprint down on land.

Fortunately on my part, Sora lost grip of the handle halfway down the barb wire and he dropped down to the ground. He quickly picked himself up after his blunder and continued on with the race, but had deadpanned when noticing I was way far ahead of him. Jumping over the platforms that were attached to the rock wall, I soon tagged the star-shaped tree with Sora following suit, but not before flashing him a cocky smirk.

I leapt across the top of the palm trees with an agileness even Sora couldn't match up to and he sprinted the long way back.

To his dismay, I had already beaten him to the finish line. Sora stopped and knelt down to place his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

I smirked in victory while panting slightly, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

"All right, we're naming the raft Highwind," I proclaimed. Sora glared at me and I shot a confused glance back.

"What?" The second the word escaped my lips, I laughed. "Oh, the paopu thing? It was just a joke." Remembering his reaction brought a smile to my lips. Sora really thought I was serious, which to me was the funny part. "You should have seen your face."

Bringing the main fun back at hand... "How about another lap around the course?"

Sora's glare disappeared as he thought quietly, but then shook his head in decline. "Are you upset or something?" I inquired with a raised eyebrow. "It was only a joke." Sometimes, Sora tended to take things too seriously when it concerned Kairi. I closed my eyes and sighed, shaking my head as Sora stalked off to collect the provisions Kairi instructed him to get.

Since I was left by myself again, I decided to refocus my attention back at the ocean.

Tomorrow, we'll finally set sail on our completed raft to venture into the outside world. It took awhile for us to adjust to the idea of what we would be leaving behind.

Our parents, our friends, our home...

I cared about my parents, but not enough for me to stay here. And Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka... they're our friends, too but they could move on without us.

As long as I had my dearest friends, Sora and Kairi, I didn't care about anything else.

* * *

The sun began to set.

I roamed the island, taking all the time I needed to reach the secret cave so the others wouldn't be suspicious of my destination. Once I entered the hidden crevice on the wall, I navigated through the narrow tunnel and reached at its end, stepping onto a clearing. The mysterious door could be found straight ahead.

I passed by the drawings that were marked on the wall with little interest, intent on studying the door instead. Stopping in front of it, I fixed my eyes to gaze upon its mysteriousness.

I sometimes wondered what would happen if somebody decided to open it...

"You…" From the sound of this familiar deep voice, I jerked around to face a cloaked stranger looming beside the wall, who's face was hidden behind the darkness of its hood.

How did he get there? It's like he just appeared out of nowhere from the shadows...

"The Keyblade Master."

"Huh?" My face twisted in confusion. Keyblade what?

"A hero of light born to save other worlds. A threat to all existing darklings." What was this guy talking about? "The key, which can either grant miracles or wrought destruction."

"Look, I know nothing about a–." I paused abruptly, thoughts whirling in my head. Wait a sec'...

A key...

Keyblade...

In other words, a weapon...

"Who _are_ you?" I demanded, "Where did you come from? How do you know all this?"

"Your heart... is strong. Worthy of wielding the keyblade." Annoyed that he was answering none of my questions, I glared at him suspiciously and inched closer to the wall away from where he currently stood.

"What you seek... freedom from imprisonment and a purpose within your fleeting existence."

What he said... his words tied together with my recurring exotic dreams and revealed what I desired most. Not even Sora and Kairi knew this. Only Koi...

Awkwardly speechless, I glanced at the door and raised my gloved hand to brush my fingers across the rough surface, contemplating his ambiguous words.

"If you want… I can help you." I quickly brought my eyes back to him the moment he spoke again. "I promise to open this door… and let free the darkness."

My eyebrow quirked. "...The darkness?" I inquired, crossing my arms skeptically. "How will the darkness help me get off this rock?"

"Yes. All you have to do…"

* * *

Closing the door shut behind me, I scanned my room. No one was here, which would explain the quietness. Sighing inwardly, I walked out into my balcony and folded my arms on top of the railing, watching the horizon darken to signal nightfall's approach.

Ever so slightly, I felt the breeze tickle my face, its coldness sapping the warmth out of my cheeks.

"..."

All I had to do... was accept the darkness?

I stood silent, contemplating the question until it clicked into my mind.

"I want… to experience other worlds…" My voice was as airy as a whisper. "I'm sick and tired… of living on this island."

I couldn't deceive myself forever. That small wooden raft wouldn't even last a week, I bet. Maybe the problem relied on not action, but rather transportation. We might need a force that's beyond our control to help us.

Ducking my head and sighing again, I exited my balcony and re-entered my room, literally throwing myself onto my bed. Muffling my face into the softness of my pillow, I closed my eyelids and let the darkness soothe me into ever relaxing sleep.

Why... why were my dreams being haunted by all this sorrow and depression stuff? And who exactly was that stranger? A guy who came from another world, probably.

He sounded so familiar...

The matter was left unsolved when slumber finally overtook me.

...

_It is time. _

_Your journey will begin... _now.

...

A harsh intake of breath and I bolted up in bed, gasping for air.

My heart's racing...

Clenching a hand over my anxious heart, I glanced out my window.

It's already late evening...

My eyebrow quirked when I noticed something odd. The ominous flashes of lightning, the dangerous cracks of thunder and the terrible howls of wind...

And it all seemed to be coming from our– Wait! A storm?!

Abandoning my common sense to stay away from the danger, I leapt down from my balcony and dashed to where I had my boat docked.

Quickly boarding it, I reached the island at last, but what greeted me wasn't anywhere near pleasant. The wind blew fiercely throughout the whole island, creating a maelstrom of torn trees and wood while the ocean tidal waves crashed harshly against the shore. And the dark creatures from my nightmares seemed to be attacking a girl who was trying to run away from their razor-sharp claws.

Wait... a flicker of red hair... Kairi? Oh no!

"Kairi!" My voice failed to reach her in this chaotic mess and I chased after her, watching as she quickly dashed into the hole with the shadows following in close pursuit. I sprinted toward the cave and was about to duck inside when I slammed right into a door that completely came out of nowhere, thus blocking the entrance.

Gritting my teeth, I tried to pry the door open, but it was locked shut. Frustrated, I slammed my fists against the door. Damn it... I couldn't reach her...

What should I do now...?

I almost gasped when I felt my heart being anchored by this powerful, magnetic force. This sensation... the heaviness... I felt it before...

Swerving around, I looked up in horror to find an enormous sphere of darkness floating above the island. It appeared to grow bigger and bigger with each passing second, the malignant energy greedily swallowing the world into oblivion.

Suddenly feeling weary, I slumped against the door and gradually dropped down to the ground, gazing at nothing.

Was this the end...?

My breath caught.

Wait... This storm happened right after I talked to that shady character. He offered to help me get out of this place by opening the door, but in exchange...

I had to accept the darkness. He wanted me to.

I shook my head and slapped both of my cheeks to rid of the shock. What the heck was I doing? To let the anxiety affect me like this was truly pathetic. Fearing the darkness would do no good at all.

Taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I stood up and started to make my way toward the source that was destroying my world. As if understanding my choice, the spawns of the darkness eyed me curiously with their creepy golden eyes, making no move to stop me.

Soon, I reached below it, feeling the gravitational pull most potent in this general area; my favorite spot where I had always gazed out into the horizon before the day's end.

Suddenly, the sound of sprinting footsteps entered my ears, pounding on the wooden bridge behind me before it suddenly stopped.

"Where's Kairi?" I recognized Sora's frantic voice, "I thought she was with you!" Unfazed by his urgency, my mind… and perhaps my sanity was somewhere else at the moment.

"The door has opened…"

"What?" Sora had no idea what I was talking about. How could Riku stay so calm when there was a monstrous storm attacking the islands with Kairi missing!?– was what he was probably thinking. I jerked around to face him, snapping out of my dazed trance.

"The door has opened, Sora!" I exclaimed. "Now we can go to the outside world!" Sora shook his head in disbelief.

"What are you talking about? We've got to find Kairi!"

"Kairi's coming with us!" Sora flinched from my tone of voice. "Once we step through, we might not be able to come back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back." Hints of possessed longing flickered in my eyes as my lips curved into an odd smile. Then, I focused my gaze up at the black sky, where it housed the wondrous sphere of darkness now beholding an even larger, more dangerous size. "But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!"

If I decided to accept the darkness... it could guide me out of this prison of isolation and into divine freedom. I would finally get to leave this all behind... and I'd be with Sora, Kairi, and Koi so I had nothing to worry about.

My resolve hardened now.

All logical thought was wiped clean from my mind and I raised my hand out to Sora, expecting him to take it.

"Riku…" Sora couldn't believe what he was hearing. My words made no sense to him. His eyes then traveled down to the ground, shocked to find the darkness beginning to enshroud my feet, the tendrils of darkness now constricting my legs before it climbed up to wrap around my waist.

I waited patiently as Sora darted forward, but he suddenly halted when the same darkness entrapped his legs also. Next, his eyes shot up to express bewilderment before he noticed I was only an arm's reach away. Sora outstretched his arm desperately to try and grasp onto my gloved hand. However, the constricting darkness continued to anchor us even further, as if wishing to sever the irrevocable bond we shared between us. Anxious sky blue eyes caught my composed aqua ones, our fingers almost able to touch.

Suddenly, Sora faltered when the darkness successfully enveloped us. It was in this precise moment when we found ourselves separated from each other.

I yearned to reach out to Sora again, to believe we could still be connected by faith.

And that's when I felt it - the cold sensation of falling... falling... falling... amidst the sea of black despair... the abyss of lonely echoes... the never-ending void of darkness.

* * *

**(A/N):**

No more Destiny Islands fun. We're now going to delve into the Kingdom Hearts plot with Riku meeting Maleficient and going to several worlds to find Sora and Kairi. Of course, it's been implied he has done that, so I'll be covering a couple chapters on his adventure.

Don't worry, Koi will stick with him after this. And she'll explain why she wasn't there to support him and... other stuff.

Chapter 4 will cover his first confrontation with the Evil Witch (Maleficent), and how he acquires the Soul Eater weapon.

Chapter 5 & 6 will consist of him visiting the worlds via the Disney villians' help (the ones we haven't seen him go to) and cutscenes of what Sora is doing at the meantime. And Chapter 7? Well... you can guess, can't you?


	5. Chapter 4 Hollow Bastion

Chapter 4- Hollow Bastion

_"Let your mind start a new journey through a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be... Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar, and you'll live as you've never lived before."_

_- Erich Fromm_

_

* * *

_

I twitched.

The sound... of flowing water...

...the islands?

I groaned. If this was still a dream, I'd be so pissed.

Slowly, I opened my eyes. Though my mind was a little hazy, I placed my hands flat on the ground and pushed myself upwards to stand. I looked around, bemused, feasting in the sight of this wondrous, mystical new world.

I stood upon one of many snow white platforms, which somehow magically levitated in midair. Peering down from over the edge, I could see a pool of water beneath me, which totally defied the laws of gravity, streaming up in superimposed layers of walls around me. Next, I lifted my gaze higher above the rising falls to drink in the marvelous sight of the mellow pink and tangerine-colored sky; and at the far distance stood an unbelievably tall, majestic castle. Though the structure seemed weird to me, like a cross between a factory and a bastion of sorts.

"Where... is this place?" I asked aloud, my mouth hung open in sheer awe. This definitely wasn't Destiny Islands, but it surely did not disappoint. I really did cross over to another world, like I had always dreamed of. How cool! Wait, if I was here, then... maybe Sora and Kairi were, too!

"Sora!" I yelled, checking out my surroundings. "Kairi!" My heart thumped heavier and heavier in dread the longer I didn't receive a response from them. "Koi...?" Alas, I was the only one who made it. My shoulders slumped in sorrow and my gaze lowered to the ground, dejected. I never really considered the odds of ending up somewhere by myself. Where should I go from here...?

"Riku." I gasped. Never was I so happy to hear my name until now. Upon feeling a familiar hand touch my shoulder, I turned sideways to find none other than Koi, the concern evident in her ebony eyes. "Are you alright?"

My mouth broke out into a relieved smile. "Never better," but then my smile dropped to a bemused frown. "How come you weren't there when the storm hit my world?" She lowered her head a bit, to subtly express her guilt.

"My guardian advised against interfering with the world order, so I apologize if I couldn't help you."

I accepted her apology with a shrug, before raising a finger to scratch my cheek in thought. "Well, there's an upside to all of this. I'm not dead. You're here. Sora and Kairi must be alive... somewhere..." Uh... yeah... How the heck was I supposed to start looking for them?

"Wait," she commanded sternly, holding her hand out to silence me. "I sense someone." The seriousness presented on her face made me bite back my snappy retort, which I had planned to say after she went and interrupted me like that, but I decided to put trust into her warning.

Suddenly, splotches of darkness wisped on the ground and then solidified into the same dark creatures that were responsible for destroying my islands. Disfigured limbs, creepy eyes, and all. The next thing we knew, they had us completely surrounded. Though a little miffed that Koi stood in front of me protectively, I surmised she knew the potential danger of these monsters a lot more than I did. Together we stood our ground while they pierced their blank yellow eyes at us, but... why weren't they moving?

My eyes scanned over the immobile creatures shifting back and forth on their feet until a black portal emerged in front of us. From within the portal stepped out a tall woman dressed in black and violet robes with bat sharp-like edges. A pair of huge horns was attached to her head and grasped within her hand was a slender dark staff with a magical green sphere lodged onto the tip. An undeniable form of evil made in sickly green flesh. She seemed familiar to me somehow…

"My, my... what do we have here?" Her glare penetrated mine the very moment she locked eyes with me. I invisibly shivered from the repugnance reflected in her golden orbs. "An intruder..." Then, her attention shifted to Koi, in which her face darkened with recognition. "And a familiar pretty face. I wondered who dared to tame the Heartless so gracefully."

"You know her?" She spared a brief glance at me, disregarding the incredulous look I gave her.

"Yes." Then, her face adopted a cool disposition to erase any means of familiarity with this woman. "Maleficent, I did not realize until recently my companion here wound up in your home. I'm here on personal business. His Eminence has nothing to do with my presence here."

'His Eminence'?

Who was that? I turned to Koi and was about to ask her when the woman spoke again, stopping me short in doing so.

"Be that as it may..." Now the woman dubbed 'Maleficent' began to pace around us, skeptically looking back and forth between us as if trying to discern our relationship. Koi and I remained silent, waiting for her to continue. Soon, she stopped and planted her staff firmly onto the ground, regarding us with that of haughty curiosity. "How intriguing... Why a darkling such as yourself is affiliated with a resident of light is beyond me," she mused. "But worry not. I won't question your reasons, however..." The witch paused dramatically to look at me. "Tell me, boy–."

"It's Riku, not 'boy.'" I spat brusquely.

"Riku," she corrected herself, secretly pleased of my hostility. "Has your world possibly fallen prey to the darkness, thus your reason for making it far out here?"

"Yes..." I said slowly, suspicious of her knowledge to my situation. "How do you know that?"

"I know many things," she replied in a smug tone, her violet lips twisting to form a smirk. "Enough to know you have no place to go."

I folded my arms across my chest and stared at the creatures I've recently come to learn were called Heartless, wondering how this shady woman and Koi were able to control them. It's obvious they lacked a thinking mind on its own, but it didn't erase the fact they could fight. Not only that, but we currently had no place to rest. Call ourselves lucky...

"If you like, the two of you can stay with me," she proposed, as if answering the train of thoughts occupying my mind, "At the least, I can subdue the Heartless from harming you." If I refused her hospitality Koi and I would be forced to fend for ourselves in this complex predicament. But hell, I would rather pass up the chance for help than forsake my pride.

"Thanks, but no, thanks. Koi and I are fine by ourselves," I exclaimed, stepping beside Koi to emphasize my decision.

"Riku..." Koi warned, shifting her eyes to me. "It might be wise to accept her invitation."

"Huh? Why?" I inquired, throwing my arms out in exasperation. "Can't we go to your world?"

"Not an option." She literally put her foot down, crossing her arms over her torso as if her decision was final. "It is too dangerous. The Realm of Darkness is infested with countless Heartless you couldn't possibly imagine. For now, you haven't much to lose here."

"Listen to her, child," she chuckled, gazing down at us. It perturbed me the way she could tower over us so easily. It made it very hard to hold a glaring contest with her. "She speaks the truth out of concern for you. Touching, I think." Her sarcasm was so disgustingly obvious, it made me want to hurl.

"Is there really no other way?" I whined, not wanting to resort to receiving this woman's help. Later on, I just know I'd look back on this and regret it.

"There are many other worlds, ones I can travel to, but why search for another when this fits your basic needs?" Koi gestured to our exotic surroundings and I could see she made a point there. I was just acting childish because the big bad lady was creeping the bejesus out of me.

"Well?" The two of them stared at me expectantly and I found the suspense rather unnerving.

Shifting my eyes back and forth between them, I eventually sighed and lazily combed my hand through my silver locks until I grudgingly replied with a half-hearted, "...Fine."

"Wonderful. It gladdens me to know, I'll have some company. Come now. I'll take you to your room where you'll be staying." Maleficent dismissed the Heartless, in which they vanished into dark portals, and walked closer to us. I shifted my glare away from her, uncomfortable with the look she was giving me.

Maleficent conjured a portal and motioned for us to enter it. Doubtful, I turned toward Koi for approval and she nodded, smiling an inch to further reassure me. Nonetheless, we followed the woman into the suspicious worm hole, the 'Corridor of Darkness.'

Air was suddenly knocked out of my lungs the moment I had stepped through, causing me to flinch and gasp for oxygen, yet I concealed the strain - caught myself from stumbling in - so as to not concern Koi.

However, it took me by surprise when I felt a jolt of heat encase my hand, Koi's hand coming to grip my own. For some strange reason, the feeling of heaviness I experienced only moments before when I first entered this makeshift pathway was lifted from my shoulders.

"It's best not to adapt to this way of travel," Koi informed me, reading the utter confusion gracing my face. "Beings of the darkness alone can tolerate this way of travel without feeling the effects of immense gravitation."

"She's right." Maleficent inclined her head over her shoulder, smiling vaguely from the display of affection between us. However, I would bet anything she was burning from contempt on the inside. "Aren't you lucky to have a companion who has your best interests at heart?"

I glared at her, refusing to reply to that rhetorical question, yet she merely ignored my scathing look. Soon, Maleficent faced forward again and continued onwards toward the opposite end of this path while the two of us trailed not too far behind.

I subconsciously drew closer to Koi when feeling the cold claws of the darkness sink deeper and deeper into my skin, as if searching for the light of my heart to devour its pure essence. Sensing my discomfort, Koi tugged me close so our shoulders could brush against each other, causing slight friction where it generated heat. Already did I begin to fear the darkness less.

"Here we are." As soon as we reached the supposed exit, Maleficent stepped aside and offered politely for Koi and I to walk out first. No sooner did we step forward did the darkness immediately disappear to reveal an unfamiliar bedroom. I made a guess we were inside the castle now.

"Quaint, isn't it?" Now the dark fairy placed a cold hand on my shoulder, wanting to convince me of the hospitality I should be grateful for. Boring my dull eyes at this new room, why did I get this strange feeling that... we'll be here for awhile?

"Thank you for the gracious accommodations, Maleficent."

"No need to thank me," she remarked, finding the continuous exchange of politeness between them a bit tedious. "You can roam the castle however you like. So long as you don't do anything foolish during your stay. I can only hope for the utmost of pleasure for you."

"Whatever," I replied gruffly.

We were already inside this building so I didn't want her touch to linger. I impassively budged her hand off my shoulder and released Koi's hand, approaching the enormous bookcases full of tiered novels and manuscripts to study the book titles written in bold lettering. Dismissing my hostile action, Maleficent wasted no time to reach the door.

"I'll take my leave, then." I switched my gaze to the wooden desk situated beside the bookcase, waiting for Maleficent to exit the room. Once I heard the door open and then close, I swerved around to witness Koi surveying the room, though I could tell she was bored.

"Hey, Koi. Why do you serve such a..." I groped for the word that could describe this person without resorting to profanity. "...such a hag?"

"I'm not her servant," she stated firmly, now averting her attention to me, "We're merely acquaintances. Besides, what would be the point of antagonizing her?"

"I don't know..." I looked away awkwardly and raised my gloved hand to scratch my neck, hoping this small action would be enough to placate my unease. If Koi knew this kind of person, I was almost afraid to find out what other friends she got. "Now that I think about it..." I dropped my arm to my side. "I don't know you so well outside the islands. You always do something when I'm hanging out with Sora and the others."

Koi simply raised her slender eyebrows in response, unbothered by my remark. "Then, this is the best time to get to know me. Ask me anything."

"What do you do usually?"

"I patrol the worlds. Make sure the Heartless don't invade and disturb the world peace," she explained. I took the initiative to lean on the bookcase and cross my arms, receiving the notion this was going to take a while. "It was a temporary job my guardian instructed me to carry out until the Keyblade Master appeared to assume his role in eliminating the Heartless."

I pursed my lips, having heard that strange term before.

Keyblade Master...

Ever since I started having those strange dreams... and the storm struck our islands... everything came to connect with that one word. Keyblade.

What the heck was this all about?

"Do you have any idea who the Keyblade Master is?" I asked, developing a new found interest in this.

Koi thought for a few moments before shaking her head solemnly. "No, I don't, but I felt the light of the keyblade resonate with the wielder so he should be scouring the worlds and locking the keyholes as we speak."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Keyholes?"

"Mm-hmm." Koi walked forward and sat on the chair situated near me beside the desk, lifting her gaze to politely meet eye contact. She rested one arm on the flat surface of the wooden table and casually leaned back into her seat, crossing her legs in a comfortable manner. "A Keyhole is a magical gateway that leads straight to a world's heart. Only a keyblade wielder can lock the Keyholes, thus protect the world's heart from being captured by the Heartless. If the Heartless ever come to acquire those colossal hearts in their possession, their numbers and strength will considerably increase."

I looked away and fixated my gaze down at the ground, piecing together the information I had just received.

A Keyhole is like a door to the innermost core of a world - its heart. No wonder the heartless want it. It's powerful all in itself. But... about the Keyblade...

"I'm curious... how do you get a Keyblade?"

"Usually, it takes a strong heart and the Keyblade chooses its wielder. The Heartless fear it, but they chase after the strong heart that has it. So obviously, he or she would be under constant attack."

Huh. So it wasn't really that simple to get one.

_**"The Keyblade Master. **_

_**A hero of light born to save other worlds. A threat to all existing darklings. A key, which can either grant miracles or wrought destruction.**_

_**Your heart... is strong. Worthy of wielding the Keyblade."**_

What was that guy talking about then? Saying my heart was worthy enough to wield it...

"You and Maleficent mentioned 'Heartless' couple of times..." I pressed on. "What are they?"

"You've seen them."

A mental image of those ink black creatures glaring at me with those creepy, beady, golden eyes was enough to make me shiver from discomfort.

"You mean... those _things_?" I grimaced. "They look nowhere near human."

Koi nodded, but the nervous shift of her eyes caught my attention. Hmm...

"According to this philosopher named Ansem, 'In every heart, there is a shadow...'"

_ba-bump_

With my eyes closed in concentration, I was able to sense the faintest traces of darkness residing in my heart. Not exactly unpleasant, but... Was that a bad thing?

"In result to a heart losing itself to the darkness, the Heartless is born from that very same darkness and keep the heart captive."

"Then..." I gasped and detached myself from the wall, clenching my fists and acknowledging the worst of my worries. "Sora and Kairi are in danger! We've got to start looking for them–!"

"Do not panic. You're jumping to conclusions." She immediately stood up and approached me, firmly pushing me against the wall so I wouldn't do anything stupid, most likely. "Think calmly."

"Okay..." I scowled, exasperated, suppressing the urge to shove her off me. "Where do _you_ think we should start looking for Sora and Kairi?"

"I'm... not sure." She pulled away and straightened out her ponytail, appearing to be lost in thought, analyzing the situation at hand to narrow down our options. "There are many worlds in this vast universe. I can't feel their hearts... either because they're too far away for me to detect or... they've simply been captured by the Heartless." I bit the inside of my cheek, refraining my thoughts from straying to that morbid alternative. How could she sense hearts anyway? "We can never know until we begin searching. Traveling through the Corridors of Darkness is instantaneous, so there is no rush."

'No rush'? How could she possibly remain calm in all this mishap? We didn't have _any_ clue as to where the hell they were. Sora and Kairi could be anywhere! ...then again, nothing good would come out of losing my cool.

I sighed inwardly and nodded, satisfied with the information she enlightened me with - despite the frustrating inability to do anything about it. Instead, I decided to empty my head of all recent negative thoughts by beginning to appreciate the pleasant interior of this bedroom. That's a start. Reaching the foot of the bed, I slid my fingers across the clean white bed sheets, admiring the soft texture.

Honestly, I expected this room to be a lot gloomier than this. Like, you know, a barren prison cell and iron bars, along with a pathetic, beat-up lamp for light. Instead, I actually got a nice room with... Wait a second...

"Are we supposed to sleep in the same bed?" I blurted out, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"I don't sleep," she said, regarding me with this look like I had forgotten my parents' birthday. Hey, to ask this kind of question was completely natural, mind you. "I thought you knew that."

"...no, I didn't." I breathed a sigh of utter relief. We didn't have to share a bed. This made everything so much easier for me. Whoa, rewind. Did she say she doesn't sleep? Don't people die after the sixth day of absolutely no sleep? I felt morally obligated to express my concern. "Why?"

"A side-effect of living in the Realm of Darkness." Well, if that's how it works, then I really shouldn't criticize. I mean, she didn't criticize my home so it wouldn't be fair if I did the opposite. It made sense, if you think about it. How _could_ you sleep in a world of complete darkness?

Just by thinking the word 'darkness' reminded me of the horrible state of my islands and the aftermath hit me like a ton of bricks. A bit weary from the event of my home's destruction, I dropped my body to lie on the soft bed, causing the mattress to sink under the new additional weight. Next, I heaved a dejected sigh. It's not a dream after all... We're really in another world, but... it wasn't exactly the same without Sora and Kairi. Koi's company was better than having none, but I still felt worried about my other friends' safety. Who knew how long it would take to find them.

I sighed sadly and lifted my gaze up at the ceiling. Or would they even be alive...

"Is something wrong?" I shouldn't be surprised Koi noticed my disquiet behavior.

"No..." I mumbled, but then decided to admit the truth. "A little anxious." I sat up and directed my attention to the table where Koi sat, who was now skimming through the pages of a book.

Well, for now, I thought it best to stick with Koi; at least, until I met up with my friends again, because I wasn't too sure whom to trust. What I had now treaded upon was a whole new battlefield - unknown territory - where I better do my best to tough it out or else face the worst.

"Hey..."

She looked up at me curiously. I leaned back and placed my hands flat on the bed to balance myself.

"You'll look after me, right?" Wordlessly, she placed the book aside and got up, walking over to sit beside me.

"Of course." The sincerity found within her black eyes was very appreciating, and my lips curled to form a smile.

"And I'll look after you."

"That's acceptable," she nodded in agreement, glancing down at her hands folded across her lap.

"It's a done deal." I smirked, "We'll look out for each other."

Next, Koi held her hand out and I clutched it on impulse, warmth mingling from our conjoined hands.

We lifted our gazes to meet eye contact, and for a moment, I swore we had created a deep connection. It was a silent bond, which would last us for the longest time.

"It's our promise."

* * *

**(A/N):**

Heh heh, so sorry that it took a while. I had to treat this chapter carefully, because I didn't want Maleficent's poetic dialogue to be out-of-character. Especially since I rewrote the scene to fit Koi into the mix of Riku and Maleficent's first confrontation.

How Riku regards Koi isn't as close as his friendship with Sora and Kairi. Want to know why? Think of it this way - Before all the major events following after the storm, Riku was a simple boy living a simple life on a simple island with his simple friends. Koi's not exactly a normal person.

In the main plot that we're currently delving in (Riku getting involved with the Keyblade and becoming an antagonist), Koi could prove to be a valuable companion in his conflicts. Sadly, Sora and Kairi couldn't be there for him when he took the fall.


	6. Chapter 5 Beings Of The Dark

Chapter 5- Beings Of The Dark

"I know the dark delight of being strange, the penalty of difference in the world, the loneliness of wisdom among fools..."

-Claude McKay

* * *

Considering our predicament, we planned on scouring the nearby worlds in search of my friends first thing tomorrow. Koi explained it was difficult to travel the universe without some sort of vessel. So, there was a positive chance Sora and Kairi wouldn't be able to move far, wherever they were...

Deciding to put trust into Koi's plan, I should tone down and explore the castle. To get a better feel of things here - my new home. The thought nearly made me want to cringe.

Once we exited our room, Koi immediately began stalking down the corridor, thus leaving me to catch up. I soon matched my steps with hers and when she didn't say anything, I sent her an inquiring glance.

"Uh... where are we going?"

"To see Maleficent," Koi replied, pivoting on her heel to enter another adjacent hallway. Narrowing my eyes to slits at the mention of the witch's name, I folded my arms across my chest and scowled indignantly, eyeing with distaste the ugly mess of thorny plants embedding the pewter walls.

"What for?"

"You'll find out." Though a little rebuffed that she wouldn't tell me, I dismissed the matter for now. Patience was never one of my good traits. Taking note of my irritation, she seized my arm and steered me along to follow her. "Let me show you around the castle." Hopefully, touring this enormous building would preoccupy me from dwelling on Sora and Kairi's questionable well-being. "This way."

Koi led me out of the dimly lit hallways and into a bizarre chamber. Then, releasing my arm, gestured to an immobile platform hanging in midair in front of us. "This is a Lift Stop," she explained, "It can carry you throughout the many floors of this castle."

Oh, c'mon. I rolled my eyes. How much simpler could this place get?

I strode forward and expected to reach the platform no problem. However, I clutched my sore nose in surprise when I instantly bumped into something. An invisible wall...? By having rammed into it, caused iridescent ripples to break out and distort the clear surface. I tentatively poked the wall, inwardly awed with this strange new phenomenon while more ripples erupted across the magic barrier.

"As you can see," Koi started, a bit amused of my reaction, "This transportation is comprised of complex magical networking located within the walls of this entire castle. And the mystical barriers prevent you from falling down below." What was down there anyway? I carefully leaned against the wall to peer downwards at the bottomless floor, anxious of the terrifying drop. "So it's safe to assume your carelessness can be... overlooked." Shooting her a glare, I pouted - slightly embarrassed. It's not like I lived here. No need to rub it in...

"How are we supposed to get on the other side, then?" Ignoring my cynical look, she approached this miniature crystal-like pillar crackling with electrical energy. I lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. What exactly was she planning to do? Then, my eyes widened in panic when seeing Koi raise a hand to caress it, as if she were petting a tamed animal. Didn't Koi have any common sense? She could get electrocuted!

Few moments had passed, and all my worries dissipated into thin air. The only thing that transpired was the sudden shift of color from white yellow to indigo blue.

That's it? I twitched, slightly exasperated. What was the point in that? Got me all worried for nothing...

One moment I was glaring at the squat pillar in disbelief and the next, I suddenly appeared on the other side. Whoa... sudden lapse of reaction time. I blinked groggily, worn out from today's endless surprises. It might've been exciting at first, but there's got to be a limit to how much a guy could take in one day.

"Don't be frightened," Koi assured, sensing my unease. "The magical electricity merely teleported us on the platform. Now it will direct us to the next floor up." I nodded, wearily looking around as we ascended this spacious chamber. Minutes later, we exited the bastion and into the great outdoors. We were so high up in the altitude that lavender-tinted clouds roamed the air and blended with the tangerine-pink sky, obscuring our view of down below. Such a soothing blend of mellow colors... it made me feel more lethargic than I already was.

Further did we press on - riding on more Lift Stops and navigating through the maze of dark hallways - the more I cursed this castle, which strangely seemed a lot bigger inside than how it looked outside. And before I was convinced we lost ourselves in this humongous castle, Koi said Maleficent and her company could be found straight ahead at the end of this huge corridor. I squinted my eyes, trying to make out the circle of people whom were crowded around a glowing table.

Snippets of their discussion drifted into my ears.

"Such is the power of the Keyblade... power is not his own."

"...turn him into a Heartless? That'll settle things quick..."

"...the king's lackeys."

"...bilge rats by the look of them."

So they were spying on the Keyblade Master, huh? However, I couldn't see who it was because their dark figures blocked my view of the magical projection. And the closer we got, the clearer the voices became.

"You're no prize yourself."

"Shut up!"

"Enough." Maleficent's icy glare successfully silenced her companions, thus she stole the opportunity to speak once more. "The keyblade has chosen him. Will it be he who conquers the darkness? Or will the darkness swallow him? Either way, he could be quite useful..."

Oh, boy... It seemed like Koi and I had unintentionally eavesdropped on a secret conspiratorial plan about the Keyblade Master. The conversation alone gave me the impression they were the evil villains. All of this spelled bad news to me. Better not get myself involved.

A tall, thin, and apathetic man garbed in flowing robes of black, maroon, and other moody colors tilted his head in our direction, as if sensing our presence. He sneered, the long, twisted goatee on his face shifting along with the small action. "We have visitors," he drawled, distaste evident in his bored tone.

On cue, they all turned to regard us with a diverse range of expressions on their shady faces.

"They are my special guests." Maleficent remarked, dismissing their curiosity with an impassive glance.

"How merciful of you, Maleficent. You went ahead and picked up a stray." Wow, I must really look that obvious, if this wise guy noticed I didn't belong here. My eyes subconsciously rolled at my mental sarcasm. Maleficent dismissed his droll reply and flicked her wrist at the table, resulting in the magical projection to suddenly disappear, leaving little light (except for the blue flame flickering on that one guy's head) to bathe the dark chapel.

"Is everything to your satisfaction?"

I remained silent with a guarded look, but Koi went out of her way to reply. "Yes, but that's not why we sought you out."

"Well, if it ain't the heartless girl." This casual 'car-dealer' voice suddenly sliced through the thick, serious atmosphere. A blue-skinned man clothed in an equally blue toga walked forward to greet Koi. His easy-going smirk revealed pointy, yellow decayed teeth. His chin was all protruded and slender. And his round eyes were a golden, blazing orange. "Give me a high five." Interestingly, she obliged and clapped her hand with his. "My pet Cerberus misses you. There hasn't been anyone who survived his favorite game of fetch since you came along. Why don't you drop by the Underworld whenever you have the time? Being the God of Death is a busy job, you know." He croaked out a few throaty chuckles, next brushing his blue hand through his hair of scorching blue flames. "It'd be totally cool of you to baby-sit. Bring along your friend, while we're at it. What do you say?" The only time I would ever want to visit Hell is when I am already dead. Other than that, I blatantly declined his offer.

And another thing... "'Heartless girl?'" I inquired skeptically. What kind of name was that?

"Hey, never heard of a nickname before?" He shrugged, patting Koi's shoulder in a friendly gesture. "I thought they were supposed to be cute."

"Ooh, she _more _than fits that category!" someone chortled lasciviously. I snatched Koi's arm protectively on impulse and delivered a hostile glare to where I heard the voice, warning the stranger to back off. Now that I took a good look at him, this guy gave a whole new level of ugliness. He consisted of a set of burlap sacks sewn into a shape resembling that of an anthropomorphic sea star, making his body appear all the more rotund and awkward. The torn piece of cloth, which left a gaping hole on his face, much resembled a twisted smirk.

"Hush, Oogie Boogie! You're scaring the poor child." The woman's sudden intervention sent a chill up my spine, and it wasn't anywhere near pleasant. I watched as she stepped forth into the lighting, her plump ruby lips puckered to form a gruesomely maternal grin. From her waist up, this woman had the body of an overweight purple-skinned, white-haired female human, and from the waist down tentacles of a black octopus. I nearly snickered at the revolting woman, but painfully swallowed when she threw me a suggestive wink. Why was she looking at me like that...?

"Ain't he just the most precious thing?!"

What the heck?

I deadpanned, too stupefied by my own mortification to avoid her evil clutches.

She immediately snatched my face and pulled me towards her, eagerly pinching my cheeks with a coarse tenderness. Okay, that did _not _tickle. "Hey! Let go of me!" I demanded, tugging at her clammy hands, which were stubbornly glued to my face. She ignored my protests and repetitively gushed about how adorable and feisty I was, like, "My, what _energy_ you have, little boy," and "What I would give to be youthful–," and also, "C'mon, give Ursula a big smile, you handsome devil you!" and some other jabbering nonsense I couldn't fathom. The sharp pain of her manicured fingernails digging into my skin caused me to flinch. "Easy on the face, you– ow!" I hissed in pain, clenching my jaw tightly, seething quietly in anger. And before I could cry Uncle, Koi harshly slapped her hands off my face with startling ease. Cold fury ran deep within her black glare and Koi pulled me close by her side, putting distance between us and the villains.

Relief couldn't even describe how I felt at the moment. Instinctively, I raised a hand to rub at my sore cheeks, welcoming Koi's arm firmly wrapped around my own in pure gratitude. There was nothing to worry about. We had each other's backs.

Though, Koi's protective action compelled the woman to throw her head back, cackling thunderously from amusement. "AH HA HA ha ha ha ha!! We've got ourselves a cold, dark, and handsome boy. The silent type, too. I'd be extra careful if I were you, girl, or else some other beauty might steal him away." Neither of us decided to respond to that insinuation.

Out of my peripheral vision, a blackavised man dragged himself out from within the darkness, approaching us in a cautious manner. His dark hair was dressed in long curls, which at a little distance looked like black candles, and this gave a singularly threatening expression to his handsome countenance. A large feathered hat was perched atop his head, and a scarlet coat along with knickerbockers clothed his lanky body. I perceived him as nothing more than a third-rate pirate.

"Did that Pope of yours send you here to spy on us?" he inquired, his dopey blue eyes glaring at Koi with a mix of trepidation and contempt. "I'm tellin' ya, I did not cross a single line in that territory of yours! I bet me piracy honor on it!" He vigorously waved his left-handed hook to emphasis his loud proclamation, but I didn't quite understand what there was for him to be afraid of, especially from Koi. Was 'His Eminence' really that much of an intimidating individual?

"My purpose here has nothing to do with you," Koi quipped, intolerance grating on her nerves. The only form of entertainment I had at the moment was watching him struggle for the words to unleash a witty comeback, unable to retort anything out of paranoid fear.

"Koi wanted to talk to you about something," I replied, turning to face the witch whom merely quirked an eyebrow in mild curiosity.

"Oh?"

Koi nodded, ignoring the other villains to focus solely on Maleficent. "Riku should be given an appropriate weapon to combat the Heartless." When the storm struck my home, I grabbed my wooden sword at the spur of the moment and was surprisingly still in my possession. If and when I would be forced to fight the Heartless, well... that flimsy sword won't be able to cut it. Literally.

"We shall discuss this after I adjourn this meeting. In the meantime, wait for me in the Grand Hall. I won't take too long."

* * *

Regal brown double doors greeted us from outside the narrow passageway and it rumbled - as if sensing our approach. Then, the doors slid open to reveal the Grand Hall, thus allowing Koi and I to enter. A crimson carpet, emblazoned with the peculiar insignia of a black heart marked with a thorny red X, led us out into the room and decorated the stone floor's center.

On either side of us stood cylinder-shaped metal torches aflame with pastel blue flames. I gazed at the flickering fire as I walked by, mesmerized by its eerie energy. Then, looking beyond the fire and flames, I paused to discover upstanding glass cases lodged into the walls - estimating around six in all. Some were empty while others... actually had people in them! Not only people, but _girls_. Girls were imprisoned inside them, apparently ensnared in a comatose state while wrapped within a painful cage of thorny vines.

Whoever had done this knew no bounds of treachery. Although, I couldn't deny each young woman possessed her own indescribable beauty.

One had long, golden hair and rose-colored lips. She wore a long-sleeved indigo dress over her willowy body and a triangular white collar, which exposed her fair neck and thin collarbone. A golden tiara was nested atop her head, signifying her royal lineage.

The girl beside her also had blonde hair, but styled in a loose bun. A silver headband adorned her head and an equally silver ball gown hugged her slim physique, satin white gloves completely covering her forearms. Her beauty was far more modest and plain, than breath-taking compared to the previous girl.

And the last woman was clothed in an extravagant yellow ball gown complemented with elbow-length yellow gloves. Her chestnut brown hair was pulled back high on top of her head, allowing her thick tresses to gently spill all over her bare shoulders like a chocolate waterfall. Peach lips, curly eyelashes, rosy cheeks - her beauty was warm and exotic in its entirety.

"Are they... dead?" I muttered. They looked so hollow, empty...

"No." Koi answered from beside me. She too was absolutely taken by their beauty; however, her black eyes held a mysterious sadness. "They are in an enchanted sleep." Even her voice spoke of emotional sympathy.

It was then I knew the dark fairy had something to do with this. What did Maleficent plan to do with them exactly? - was what I wanted to ask, but... I had already asked enough questions to keep me up for about a month's worth of nights. I'd rather save that particular question for another day.

"So..."

"Hm?"

"Back there, you said I needed a better weapon to defend myself. Why ask Maleficent?"

Koi adopted a pensive frown, next tearing her attention away from the maidens to face me fully. "Although I'm trained in the arts of black magic, Maleficent's magic is much more potent and vast in degree. It's not beyond her knowledge to be able to craft a weapon of any kind," she explained, idly touching one of her bangs if only to express her boredom.

"How about a Keyblade? Can she make one of those?" If she could, maybe I would get to have the dark Keyblade from my dreams. That would be kinda cool. "I want one..." This escaped my lips before I could even stop myself.

"Riku." Koi warned, narrowing her eyes at the tone of excitement in my voice. "It might be imperative to realize Maleficent cannot be trusted, especially her goons. Be very weary of them." I rolled my eyes at her warning. Gee, I wondered what clue tipped her off? When a bunch of villains get together doesn't mean they want to host a tea party.

"I won't. What do you take me for, an idiot?" She avoided eye contact, fiddling with her hands a bit uneasily. I could only guess her lack of response indicated I hit the nail on the spot. "You really did think that, didn't you?" I teased.

"Not exactly..." Once I caught her guilty, the way she lowered her head shamefully, my signature smirk widened in triumph.

"Liar," I said cheekily, chuckling. Koi mumbled something which sounded a lot like 'Sora,' and it caused me to glare at her playfully. "Hey, Sora might be an idiot, but he's not stupid." I froze, now realizing what I just said was a horribly poor attempt in defending my best friend. Something so right could not have been said so wrong, I chided to myself.

Koi coughed faintly, her lips quirked upwards in silent amusement. "That made no sense."

The sudden teeny smile surprised me since I've rarely witnessed her express emotions, and no matter what the size, smiles are still contagious.

"You should do that more often."

Regrettably, her smile dropped. "What?"

"Smile." I grinned, pointing to my face.

"Ah..." She averted her eyes, shrugging in slight embarrassment. "Dwelling in the darkness for too long can suck the emotion out of you. Since I made you my top priority, I don't have to go back for awhile."

"Do you like the darkness?" I queried, appearing nonchalant, but in truth curious. She whipped her head to stare at me inquiringly.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm wondering because..." I didn't get the chance to finish when Maleficent suddenly appeared into the room via the dark portal. I sighed, exasperated of her interruption. _Another _question to be saved for another day...

"Sorry to have kept you waiting," she said, her voice devoid of sincerity. "You desire a weapon, you say?" Koi nodded and the two of us walked forward to stand before her. Maleficent hummed thoughtfully, next circling me with a slow step in her walk. I wished she could hurry it up already. Her prolonged staring was beginning to unnerve me. "...let's see what I can do," she remarked finally. Tilting her staff, the green orb began to glow. I felt a strange tug at my heart, like an invisible pressure prodding the darkness dormant inside of me and could feel Maleficent's magic mold it into something solid. I shut my eyes to try and tolerate this nauseous sensation, however I could envision it more vividly now.

In my mind's eye, the black-violet flames swirled and stretched and simmered, the odd plasmatic shape currently indistinguishable. It pulsated... like a heart... calling out to me... seeking its master's touch...

Transfixed by this tangible energy, my fingertips barely grazed the wisps before it immediately latched onto me like a hungry leech, engulfing my hand. Panic seized my heart, causing my eyelids to fly open. I helplessly witnessed the darkness solidify into a crimson, blue, and black weapon, sensuously curving to form a demonic wing. The hilt was cradled in my hand; its decorative aqua jewel gleamed with an aura of spite. And the power captured within this object brimmed in morbid excitement, as if alive...

"This blade's power is equivalent to the darkness in your heart. The more enemies you defeat, the more power you will gain."

Maleficent's profound voice brought me out of the awfully familiar trance, anchoring me back to the present. Koi stood beside her silently, expectantly - concern shadowing her face. The dark fairy flicked her wrist, summoning a Shadow Heartless.

It faced me, defenseless, like a blinking dumb log. Free for me to kill.

Recalling the very night my home was invaded by these same spawns of the darkness, my anger began to boil. Even though I wanted a way out to leave the monotony behind, I couldn't do anything to save Sora and Kairi. I didn't ask for the islands to be destroyed. It was all the Heartless's fault. It was all... those... damn... Heartless's... fault!

The negative thoughts, which accumulated in my head, fueled the raw drive to slash the creature in one fell swoop. I relished the disturbing sound of blade piercing flesh, and reveled how it violently trembled and writhed in sheer agony. Simultaneously, my blade extracted every ounce of its life force, becoming additional strength to my own. Its artificial black skin slowly disintegrated to reveal the innocent heart, which was being held captive. Now no longer bound by darkness, the radiant heart floated away only to disappear up through the ceiling.

The sudden adrenaline rush left me gasping from the experience. Despite this, I eyed the familiar weapon with little apprehension and smiled shakily. "That felt... wicked."

A blade that can suck the living energy out of my foes: _Soul Eater._

Koi frowned, a bit troubled with my reaction, whereas Maleficent's lips quirked with a sense of accomplishment.

"I don't see why _you_ weren't chosen to become the Keyblade Master," she exclaimed, ecstatic. The gears which existed inside her evil mind began to shift in motion. "There's no denying you have great potential."

Those exact words echoed forebodingly in my mind, singing a morbid tune of doubt...

* * *

**(A/N): **Whew, finally...

The overall details in this chapter tuckered me out. Although annoying at first, it was fun describing the villains, the castle, and the three princesses that have been captured so far. I can't completely credit myself for most of the details, though, since I scrounged them up by playing the video game and skimming through _Wikipedia _and other places. However, I improvised the details to fit the flow of my story.

Could you guess which princesses I depicted?

Heh, heh. You guessed it: Aurora, Cinderella, and Belle (in chronological order).

Following the accurate timeline, you'll get to see Alice, Snow White, and Jasmine next time when Riku does a favor for Maleficent, which won't be for awhile. And I hope I described Riku receiving the Soul Eater well enough, because unlike many Keyblades - Maleficent fostered the keyblade from the darkness in Riku's heart with suspicious knowledge on how to craft such a weapon. It's pretty much unique since no one else can use it.

I also have to respect the ambiguous fact that Soul Eater (The Way To Dawn) had existed in the _Birth By Sleep_ game ten years prior to _Kingdom Hearts_.

Coming up, we'll have Riku and Koi visit _Halloween Town_ to keep up in par with _Alice in Wonderland_. Gotta tell you now, it is going to be epically hilarious! XDD


End file.
